840.20/3–949
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
| Participants: | Sir Oliver Franks, the British Ambassador |
| The Secretary | |
| Mr. Hickerson, EUR |
Sir Oliver Franks, the British Ambassador, called at his request at 2:00 p. m. today. He said that he had received a telegram from Mr. Bevin expressing the hope that when the draft of the North Atlantic Pact is made public next week, it can be stated as a fact between the US and UK Governments that at the time of signature of the Pact a special declaration will be made in regard to the interest of our two Governments in Greece, Turkey, and Iran.
I told the Ambassador that I could not agree that there was any special magic or significance attaching to the date of the publication of the draft North Atlantic Pact. I added that in various newspapers over recent weeks there have been articles containing practically all of the provisions of the Pact, and that all we would be doing next week would be to give out an official text for public examination and discussion.
I said that I could not, of course, agree to announcing next week that there would be a special statement on signature without discussing this with the President and obtaining his approval. I added that this would probably not present any particular problem, but that what concerned me much more was that I would have to go back to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and discuss it with the Members, and that I frankly felt that this would not at this stage be a good idea.
I went on to say that I expect to make a radio address on the day the text is published, and that I plan to say in the course of this address that the conclusion of the North Atlantic Pact does not mean that we are forgetting that American interest in security and American obligations [Page 178] under the Charter are worldwide; that the US has repeatedly demonstrated its interest in the maintenance of international peace and security in all parts of the world, and that, among others, our policy of support for the sovereignty and independence of Greece, Turkey and Iran is a notable example. I would go on to say that the US will continue to follow these policies.
Sir Oliver asked whether I could give him the draft of that portion of my speech before the end of this week. I told him that I would endeavor to do so.
I explained to Sir Oliver that I had not myself seen the text of a proposed declaration about those three countries to be issued on the signature of the Pact, but that I had known that it had been discussed at various times between Officers of the State Department and the Embassy over a considerable period.
Sir Oliver said that he hoped that such a declaration could be signed at least between the US and the UK and perhaps by France. I immediately questioned the wisdom of “signing” any kind of parallel declaration in connection with the Treaty. I said that this might well raise constitutional problems that need not be raised, and that, in my opinion, a simple unsigned statement issued by the President would accomplish the same purpose.
The Ambassador inquired whether I felt that the statement should be identical, separate statements, parallel statements covering the same general ground, or a joint statement. I replied that I was inclined to favor parallel statements either identical or similar.
- Carlisle H. Humelsine, Director, Executive Secretariat, Office of the Secretary of State.↩