780.00/11–1450: Memorandum
Memorandum by Mr. Charles W. Yost of the Policy Planning Staff to the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian and African Affairs (McGhee)
Subject: Follow-up on U.S.–U.K. Conversations of October 26.
I received a phone call this morning from Colonel Ladue, who acted as military secretary of the joint U.S.–U.K. politico-military conversations which were held in Washington on October 26. He said that he was following up on action being taken pursuant to the agreements reached at that meeting and that he wished to be certain that the Departments of State and Defense had a common understanding as to the action responsibilities assigned to State. He said that it is his understanding that the following three matters were assigned to State for action:
- 1.
- Consultation with the British in regard to the desirability of including the U.S. with the U.K. in any arrangements which might be made for base rights in Egypt;
- 2.
- Approach to the Greek Government, as occasion arises, to endeavor to dissuade it from agitating the question of Cyprus at this time; and
- 3.
- Consultation with the British in regard to the desirability of moving British troops into southern Iran in the event of an internal uprising limited to Azerbaijan alone.
Colonel Ladue said that he also presumed that we were continuing to press the British to conclude a favorable AIOC agreement with Iran, though it had not been definitely decided at the October meeting that we should pursue this matter further.
I told Colonel Ladue that the three numbered topics listed above are those on which it had been Mr. Jessup’s and my understanding [Page 239] that the Department of State had action responsibility, I said that it was my belief that action is going forward on these matters but that I would in any case once more advise the appropriate Bureau of the Department that the Defense Department is expecting State to take the initiative on these matters.