140. Memorandum From the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Murphy) to the Secretary of State1
SUBJECT
- NATO Consultation on Suez
UK Minister Coulson called on me today to say that he had been instructed by Selwyn Lloyd to inform the Department that the UK considers that the next step in the Suez matter should be to consult with the North Atlantic Council. Lloyd believes that such a consultation would be in accord with the general desire to extend the consultative process in NATO. The purpose of the consultation would be to tell the other NATO representatives “how our minds are working” and get their views. Lloyd suggests that a UK representative brief their permanent NATO representative on the 18 nation decision at London and that a U.S. representative brief George Perkins on the work of the 5 nation committee; in this way our permanent representatives would be better able to lead the discussion in the NAC. Lloyd also asks whether we think Iceland and Greece should be included in the NAC consultation and expressed the view that probably Greece should be invited to take part. Coulson also advised me that a similar approach is being made to the French Government by the UK and that Lord Ismay is being asked for his views on the desirability of NAC consultation. The UK also desires to consult with the Western European Union Council2 on Suez.
The two questions on which Lloyd, therefore, desires your position are whether you agree that consultation in the NAC should be held forthwith and, if so, whether the U.S. will send a representative to brief George Perkins on the work of the 5 nation committee. The second question is whether we think Iceland or Greece should be excluded from NAC consultation.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 740.5/8–2856. Confidential. A handwritten marginal notation by Murphy on the source text reads: “8/28 Sec saw. & Geo Perkins read this. Agreed to early meeting & report by UK reps of London Conferences results. Sec believed premature discuss work of committee of five. Saw no objection attendance of Iceland & Greece under these [?] circumstances. RM. Mr. Coulson informed 1830–8/28. RM.”↩
- The membership of the Western European Union Council consisted of the Foreign Ministers or their representatives of the following countries: Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.↩