Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

DEPARTMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON June 22, 1949 SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS ATLANTIC French Foreign Minister Schuman gave the Secretary in Paris PACT an aide memoire stating that the French government believes that it would be most advantageous to open the debate in the French parliament on the Atlantic Pact only after clarification has been received of our views upon the military and strategic consequences which France may expect from the Pact. The aide memoire points out the long standing French concern over the absence of effective military pro- tection for western Europe and the French expectation that such protection will be afforded by the Pact and states that, if the French people accept the political solidarity involved in the Pact and the risks entailed by it, it will be not only because they count on final victory but also be- cause they expect effective measures to be taken to discourage or, if necessary, repel any aggressor. The aide memoire also refers to the French desire to be associated in the high strategic conduct of the de- fense measures taken under the Pact. In explaining the aide memoire to our Embassy in Paris, the French Foreign Office has stated that there is no question of the Pact failing of ratification but that assurances on the points raised in the aide memoire would make a considerable difference in the size of the majority which the government will be able to obtain. The Foreign Office said that Schuman feels that it would be of great assistance if the military assistance program had already been submitted to Congress at the time of the debate in the French parliament on ratification of the Pact and if he could receive assurances that we contemplate in the first instance the defense of western Europe in the event of hostilities and that we contemplate the inclusion of France on the combined staff organi- zation inside the Pact machinery, along with the US, the UK and Canada. PALESTINE Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv states that, although some extremists in the Israeli army and legislature advocate expansion by the use or threat of force, he believes that fear of Israeli aggression is not warranted. He thinks that Premier Ben Gurion, Foreign Minister Sharett and the Israeli General Staff are fully aware that further expansion by force would be disastrously self-defeating. He points out that the government DECLASSIFIED must E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guideline, June 12, 1979 By NLT- Ar NARS, Date 11-13 - to