Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

DEPARTMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON DECLASSIFIED F.0. 12065, Sec. 3-402 March 22, 1949 State Dept. Guideline, June 12, 1979 By NLT- He NARS, Date 11-13-06 SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS NORTH ATLANTIC The Secretary has sent a message to Premier Salazar of Portugal conveying our strong hope that Portugal will join the North Atlantic pact. We state that, in view of the desire of the other governments concerned for a pact of even longer duration, we can see no possibility of their agreeing to reducing it to a ten year term and further state that we would be seriously concerned lest reservations made by any participating government lead to the imposition of reservations by others. We point out, however, that the provision for review after ten years provides an opportunity to make the changes necessary to adapt the treaty to the international circumstances at the time. PALESTINE Ethridge states that he considers an agreement on internationalization of Jerusalem as a separate legal entity practically out of the question unless the US is willing to apply the strongest kind of pressure. Israeli Foreign Minister Sharett is planning to inform the Secretary this morning that the British forces at Aqaba should be withdrawn under the provisions of the November 16 UN reso- lution; the Foreign Minister has stated to our representatives in New York that Israel would bring this matter before the UN if necessary. VIEWS ON The French and British have presented us with notes MILITARY AID saying that they consider it highly desirable that the European powers involved in the military assistance program not be required to subscribe to engagements of a general nature other than those which result from the Brussels and North Atlantic agree- ments and that, therefore, bilateral agreements should not be concluded between them and the US on military assistance which would include con- ditions of a general as opposed to a technical character. The French TOP S E C R E T