Telegram from Secretary of State Dean Acheson to President Harry S. Truman

NLT (PSF-GENJ89 INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State TELEGRAPH BRANCH mer H-X N Action Control: 8806 SS Rec'd: May 19, 1950 FROM: London 8:46 a.m. Info DCR TO: Secretary of State 460 NO: ACTEL 13, May 18, Midnight DECLASSIFIED of us. 1950 m. II Pace 113 NIACT. By NLT- Ne NARS, Date 01:27:79 WEBB TO PASS TO PRESIDENT FROM ACHESON. The fourth North Atlantic Council meeting ended tonight with public statements by all Ministers. In opening meetings Foreign Ministers of each of other signatory powers expressed views with respect to the current world situation, as it affects peaceful purposes for which pact was signed, remarkably similar to those of US Government We were thus able to proceed to attack specific issues with common point of view and with common appreciation of urgency of getting ahead with task of strengthening, politically, economically and militarily, free world, of which 12 Atlantic Pact Powers form so important a part. Meetings have been characterized by recognition of common objectives, by spirit of urgency in achieving them, and by willingness to negotiate with respect to specific means to be adopted for their achievement in order that work may proceed on basis of agreed decisions with minimum of debate. In addition to taking action on number of routine matters Council has reached agreement on following recommendations to governments, or directives to NAT committees, as was appropriate: 1. It has endorsed request from Defense Financial and Economic Committee to Defense Committee "to prepare detailed estimate of finances entailed in preparation of defense of North Atlantic countries setting forth the priorities there. - in" and has "recorded the importance it attaches to early completion of this project" At same time it has recognized that each estimate should not be considered final until the "realistic revision of force requirements which is expected from the current review of defense plans has been completed". 2. On basis of recommendation from Defense Committee it has urged "governments of NAT to take action to insure progressive build-up, of defense forces" and it has emphasized that in this build-up, with due regard for commitments outside NAT area, countries should concentrate on "creation of balanced collective forces rather than balanced national forces" o It has REPRODUCTION OF THIS man SEORET MESSAGE IS PROHIBITED