Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE the WASHINGTON DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 September 4, 1951 State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 By DEB NLT, Date 9-5-80 S R E T SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS GREECE-TURKEY - Our NAT Council Deputy has furnished us with a round-up of the present attitudes of the gov- ernments represented, and their probable positions at the forthcoming Ottawa Council meeting, on the question of full NATO membership for Greece and Turkey, based on discussions with each Council Deputy in the last few days. Since many of the Deputies spoke very frankly and on a personal basis, he has asked that their comments be handled with ex- treme care. The UK and France both support full membership, and have agreed to the Standing Group paper on command structure, although each government still has some reservations on this aspect. Italy has been a consistently strong advocate. Canada, although it would have preferred a separate pact, has stated both privately and in the Deputies meetings, that it would agree to full membership. The Belgian Deputy has stated privately his-government's full agreement, but has indicated this only guardedly in the meetings. A governmental decision has not yet been taken by Luxembourg, but it will probably be influenced by Belgium. The Netherlands is still opposed but will "probably yield". The first Dutch reaction to the Standing Group command paper was strongly unfavorable, and they may press for inclusion of Turkey under a direct NATO command as such as a condition for agreement. A governmental decision has been taken by Iceland not to oppose full membership. Norway is still opposed, but "will not veto". Denmark is officially still opposed, but the Danish Deputy has pointed out that Denmark has never indicated that it would block full membership and "will probably bow to the will of the majority". Portugal is also officially still opposed, but their Deputy has stated pri- vately that they "will probably not make too much trouble". Ambassador Spofford has impressed on eaçh Deputy the necessity for issuance by the Councila Ottawa of an uncon- ditional invitation to Greece and Turkey. Allowing for the possibility that the attitude of individual Deputies may be more cooperative than SECRET