Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, the Foreign Minister of Portugal, and Others

the DEPARTMENT OF STATE 208 31 Memorandum of Conversation to num DATE: April 1, 1949 SUBJECT: North Atlantic Treaty the 107 PARTICIPANTS!he Secretary The Portuguese Foreign Minister, Dr. daeiro da Matta The Director General of Political Affairs of the Portuguese Foreign Office, Dr. Antonio de Faria, The Portuguese Ambassador, Pedro Theotonio Pereira Mr. John B. Hickerson, Director for European Affairs, COPIES TO: Mr. William B. Dunham, Division of Southwest European Affairs. S H - Mr. Gross U-Mr. Webb S/P- Mr. Kennan C-Mr. Bohlen EUR- Mr. Hickerson G-Mr. Rusk EUR - Mr. Staples WE - Mr. Achilles 1-1493 The Foreign Minister stated that he had been asked by Dr. Salazar to convey his greetings and best wishes to me. Dr. Salazar, he said, is impressed by the assistance which the United States is giving to Europe and is happy to cooperate in these efforts to restore the economy of Western Europe and to provide for its security through the North Atlantic Treaty. He was very pleased to receive my message to him and will send a reply in the near future. Dr. Caeiro da Matta mentioned that the duration of the draft Treaty had created a probler for the Portuguese Government. A period of ten years limited the possibility of aggression to Russia but a longer period increased the possibility that aggression in Western Europe might come from another source. Also the problem of Spain and the Treaty of Non-Aggression and Friendship between that country and Portugal had required consultation with the Spanish Government. These consultations had been concluded with the understanding that the North Atlantic Treaty is not incompatible with the existing treaty relation- ship between Portugal and Spain. The Foreign Minister expressed his opinion that the Treaty is very important to Western Europe and to the world. He expressed his appreciation of the great role of the United States in the reconstruc- tion of Europe and in participating in this essential security aggange- ment. He stated that he was therefore very pleased to be here and had come with pleasure to sign the North Atlantic Treaty. I thanked DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (E) 7-23-75 Dept. of State letter, Aug. 9-1973 By NLT- HL , NARS Date 4-21-76