Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume IX, Foreign Economic Policy

297. Memorandum of Conversation⁰

Washington, March 14, 1961.

SUBJECT

• COCOM List Review

PARTICIPANTS

• UK—Sir Patrick Reilly, Deputy Under Secretary of State, Foreign Office
• Mr. John Mason, Foreign Office
• Mr. J.O. Rennie, Commercial Minister, British Embassy
• US—Assistant Secretary Martin
• Mr. W.T.M. Beale, Economic Minister, American Embassy, London
• Mr. William B. Dozier, BNA

Sir Patrick said that the US Aide-Memoire of March 3 on the current COCOM list review had caused him much concern.¹ He thought that there clearly should have been more coordination between our two governments, and noted that the US was mainly concerned with UK attitudes, while the UK was troubled by the number and nature of the US proposals.

Mr. Martin said that while subsequent agreement had been reached on some points, our delegations were still at odds with respect to twenty-three items. He was disturbed that there had been no UK discussion related to the COCOM criteria and wondered if we were in disagreement on the criteria. Sir Patrick said that there was real disagreement but only with respect to the interpretation of the criteria. He said that UK views differ somewhat from those of the US with regard to the whole question of the state of the Soviet technology—particularly in light of advances in Soviet rocketry, whether an item should properly be on the munitions list or not, and also what to do about items still on the drawing board and not yet in production. The UK looks at the last mentioned as a national security matter and not one for COCOM. An added problem for the UK was that HMG was under very great internal political pressure to increase trade with the Soviets.

Sir Patrick said that they deplored the difference of opinion not so much in terms of magnitude of trade but rather in terms of friction in US/UK relations, and they would very much like to see a solution found. He suggested that the two countries plan to get together bilaterally and at an appropriate level well in advance of the next annual review. He added that he was not yet ready to suggest a date for such a meeting.

Mr. Martin agreed that it was desirable to have bilateral talks before the next annual review. He thought that May or June might be an appropriate time. By that time we would have completed our review of US/Soviet bloc economic relations, and would be in a better position to sit down with the UK and discuss COCOM policy.

Sir Patrick said, with respect to the current list review, that he hoped both delegations could be instructed to make a big effort to find common ground in order to avoid a US/UK clash. For their part, the UK delegation was being instructed to meet the US point of view wherever possible, even where in the delegation’s view the matter at hand was contrary to the criteria. He concluded by saying that in the future he personally would keep a close eye on COCOM developments.

Mr. Martin said that he was encouraged by Sir Patrick’s statements, and that we too would provide further instructions to our COCOM delegation.² He agreed that we should keep in close touch on this matter.

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 460.509/3-1461. Confidential. Drafted by Dozier and approved by Edwin M. Martin and Wilson T.M. Beale, Jr.
1. The 15-nation Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM) reviewed International Lists defining strategic items over which participating governments exercised control of exports to the Communist bloc in Paris October 1, 1960-April 15, 1961. The aide-memoire of March 3, 1961, was handed by Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Martin to Denis A. Greenhill, Counselor of the British Embassy in Washington. (Ibid., 460.509/3-361) It stated U.S. concerns aroused by the statement of the British COCOM delegate in Paris on January 30 on control proposals under discussion in COCOM arising from advances in Western technology and by British resistance to adding items to the embargo list and expanding current definitions. (Memorandum of conversation; ibid., 460.509/2-161)
2. Topol 1296 to Paris, March 15, instructed the U.S.COCOM delegate to discuss the unresolved area with the British COCOM delegate and recommend possible modification of the U.S. position that might provide a basis for settlement. (Ibid., 460.509/3-15671) [text not declassified] The Department of State amended the lists of the Mutual Defense Assist-ance Control Act of 1951 (Battle Act), removing certain items and adding new ones, to reflect the changes resulting from the COCOM review. For some indication of these changes, see Department of State, The Battle Act in New Times, Mutual Defense Assistance Control Act of 1951—Fifteenth Report to Congress (Washington, March 1962), pp. 1-2.