Transcript of Conversation of Washington Conference with Regard to Request for Military Assistance from Western Union Countries

110 2 n 5 TOP SECRET DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or E Dept. of State letter, Aug.9,1973 7-23-25 Copy of Verbatim Transcript of WASHINGTON CONFERENCE WITH REGARD TO NLT- HL. NARS Date 4.2776 REQUEST FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE FROM WESTERN UNION COUNTRIES and (April 4, 1949) ARCHIVES AND 'NATIONAL RECORDS SERVICE CHAIRMAN (SECRETARY ACHESON): I understand that you have "been working working hard today and that you have reached a tentative proposal, at any rate, which you have submitted to us and we have gone over a draft of our reply. We have gone over those documents and they are entirely satisfactory to us. I understand that you have suggested some alterations in the roply which we should make and that is also satisfactory to us. These documents are entirely agreeable to uso I also understand that perhaps you would like to have some fuxther tall about these documents and 11 you would like to do that perhaps we might withdraw while you do it. MR. BEVIN: There is only one point. I think everyone has done very well in this. But this is just one little worry. It is a question of procedure in the Houge of Commons that affects me. Will you look at paragraph 6 of the document, please. It is the middle words, Mr. Achegon. It says: #In the event of a favourable raply in relation to the above request, a detailed statement of the specific needs of the signatories of the Brusgels Treaty for the year 1949/1950*, and then you go on to say nof which the United States has had informal knowledge through its Obm severs in the various defence committees of the Brussels Treaty organies zations" Well, I have never owned up that I have given you any treaty And while the observers agree, I have not said they have and I have not said they have not. Do you desire the observers to be mentioned in thi B document? Could you take the words "In the event of a favourable reply in relation to the above request, a detailed statement of the specific needs of the signatories of the Brussela Treaty for the yeax 1949/1950 will be transmitted to the United States Government at the earliest posaible date"? And leave that other phrase out? CHAIRMAN: That is all right. MR. BEVIN: Could you take that other out? CHAIRNAN: Yes. MR. BEVIN: That suits me. I°m sorry for our present rules. Thank you very much. CHAIRMEN: We agres, Mr. Bevin. MR. BEVIN: Thank you very much. There is one word that is suggested to me by Mr. Jebb in paragraph 2. that is, that the word "situation* should TOP SECRET be put