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

INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State 6-2 TELEGRAPH BRANCH SECRET Action Control: 9108 SS Rec'd: September 20 , 1951 FROM: Ottawa HATIONAL 3:14 a.m. Info ARCHIVES SERVICE" AND RECORDS DCR TO: Secretary of State NO: SECTO 25, Sept 19, midnight. DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guidelinos, March 6, 1982 NIACT. PROJECT NLT 83-21 BYHC NLT, Dale 6.29.Ly FOR THE PRESIDENT FROM SECRETARY. Council session has been noteworthy for harmony and for increasing sense cooperation between PC's. While diffi- culties coordinating fully govt actions twelve sovereign countries remain great, community spirit developing and US leadership always recognized as unavoidable is increasingly accepted. I was especially pleased by comments reps of Den and Iceland with whom we recently concluded base agreements. Both expressed full appreciation for manner in which US con- ducted negotiation and paid homage to democratic sense equality which US displayed notwithstanding huge discrepancy size and power of parties. Ottawa session also significant as first NAC attended by DEFMINS and FINMINS as well as FONMINS in accordance with last spring's reorganization of NATO structure. While presence of so many Mins somewhat delayed proceedings, I believe distinct benefits will be derived from this personal participation of three senior Cabinet officials each govt. This should lead to broader understanding complexity of our security tasks. There has been minimum speaking for record and all have dis- played real desire come to grips with problems It is, of course, too soon fully assess result of session as only ends tomorrow. In judging results to date you should bear in mind the objectives which we had set for ourselves at this session. Primary purpose was obtain favorable action on admission Greece and Turkey. In addition, we wished pave way for acceptance by exec branches of NATO govts of solid military plan at subsequent NAC in Rome. Our third major objective was reassure our NATO allies increasingly fearful that US considered NATO only as mil alliance without regard for econ and SOC realities or cultural matters. This concern recently enhanced by our pressure for admission Greece and Turkey, especially latter, which Scandinavian and others were reluctant to accept as lacking Eur, Christian and democratic background. While a handicap in this instance, the seriousness with which REPRODUCTION OF THIS MESSAGE IS PROHIBITED