740.5/11–1351: Telegram
The United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford) to the Acting Secretary of State 1
Depto 611. Deps 79 mtg Nov 12.
1. Deps adopted agenda for Rome mtg. Under “exchange of views on polit matters” Canada and chmn reported Pearson felt list of three or four topics desirable and suggested: (a) Korea; (b) Egypt; (c) recent Sov notes to Nor; (d) Yugoslavia. Neth dept said Stikker felt no subj merited debate now. Deps will consult govts further for additions or approval these suggestions.
Chmn said Eisenhower statement wld be gen and for conveniences shld be early in session, and that TCC report wld be an interim oral statement. Timing these items, as for all others, left for final agreement with Pearson.
Under Ger defense participation chmn said three reports wld be basis of discussions: Occupying powers report on Petersberg discussions, Fr report on EDF, and occupying powers report on contractual arrangement. UK commented contractual arrangements report difficult to produce before conversation with Adenauer finished. SG rep said MC wld wish study EDF reports. French replied negots still underway, but certain agreements had been reached and those on milit aspects cld be reported to MC for study. Chmn said Rome action on Germany uncertain beyond noting reports, but as sit devel question of EDF–NATO relationship must be settled. Fr said they plan to present at Rome their proposal on juridical and structural links.
Under command arrangements Belgium questioned “terms of reference of SACLANT.” UK replied practical sit is unchanged. UK also doubted that there could be useful discussion of East Mediterranean and ME since Greek rep had just arrived in Wash and Turk not yet.
Deps approved procedural suggestions and press policy for Rome mtg and agreed to meet in Rome Nov 23. Brief joint mtg with MC same day.
2. Can dep summarized meeting of North Atlantic community committee and said that report to Rome being prepared with view to obtaining council sanction of lines of action proposed and decisions reached.
3. Dep noted Fr and UK willingness to implement most arts of milit status treaty pending ratification. Chmn announced all countries have now indicated prepared to waive passports and visas. Referred to WG UK proposal for claims procedure under Art 8 and referred to SG [Page 708] questions of standardized identity forms, movement orders and vehicle markings.
4. Chmn submitted proposals for a high level advisory committee on NATO info.
5. Deps agreed to obtain SG comments on amendments to paper on NATO security committee further.
6. Italy in gen statement on Sov fon policy said present Sov aims far beyond traditional Russian imperialism. Noted Moscow control of world Communist activities and recent stiffening of Sov policy. Italy warned against being taken in by Sov proposals for five-power conf. Urged vigorous counter-propaganda.
Canada commented Sov’s use UN to foster nationalism in dependent areas to pose as defenders of peace and to add to confusion and conflict in the West world. There was gen agreement with this. Neth commented that UN less useful to USSR recently and noted possibility that World Peace Council will be developed into Commie UN. UK and Nor agreed, but UK and Can foresaw no imminent withdrawal of USSR from UN.
Can stated Sov aggressive policy necessarily accepted calculated risk of war. Korea possibly a miscalculation.
Fr detected a tendency to accept cold war as normal sit and warned against possibility of imperceptible drift into hot war.
Deps generally agreed that Sov will not hesitate to expedite “inevitable” capitalist collapse by cold war tactics. Neth doubted Russians would risk gen war in face of West superior potential and need for consolidation within Sov bloc. Nor noted Stalinist doctrine rules out co-existence doubted that Russ wld resort to more than localized hostilities altho subversive promotion of unrest particularly in the ME and exploitation of econ instability and West war weariness and defeatism wld continue. He emphasized Sov differentiation between just and unjust war and saw no ideological barrier to Sov milit aggression.
UK commented that first aim of Sovs is preservation of state and regime and this is reason for large Sov army which will also be used to threaten West, but only in last resort to attack West.
US felt that as Sov objectives impinge more and more on West, risk of war is greater and USSR might decide to strike while its strength is greater.
Deps gen agreed Sov objectives fairly clear but there is no rigid timetable. Policy is gen opportunistic, taking advantage any polit vacuum. Neth noted US is main target Sov fon policy.
Fr, Neth, Nor, US, and UK commented on acute Sov sensitiveness to devel in Ger. Nor felt quite possible war cld be provoked by miscalculation [Page 709] particularly in Ger and Sov border areas. UK commented that Sov backed by confidence inevitable world revolution will never begin war as response to provocation or to avenge insult before they are ready. Nor felt prestige immensely important to Sov Govt.
WG will summarize discussion.
7. Next mtg Nov 14 which will possible be last before Rome.
- Repeated to Brussels, Copenhagen, The Hague, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Luxembourg, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Lisbon, Reykjavik. Moscow, and Wiesbaden.↩