787.5 MAP/8–2951
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern, South Asian, and African Affairs (McGhee)
Subject:
- 1)
- Iraq Acceptance of Military and Economic Assistance Under the Mutual Security Program.
- 2)
- Iraq Views on Japanese Peace Treaty
| Participants: | Mr. Abdullah Bakr, Minister of Iraq, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim |
| Mr. George C. McGhee—NEA | |
| Mr. John E. Barrow—NE |
Discussion:
1) Iraq acceptance of the Mutual Security Program
Pursuant to instructions from his Government, Mr. Bakr stated that the Iraqi Government was ready to “accept” United States military and economic assistance under the Mutual Security Program. He said the Government had emphasized military assistance. (Obviously military and economic assistance would be provided only on the basis of an Iraqi request.)
I congratulated the Government of Iraq for this early and forthright action. I said I thought the emphasis on military assistance was quite correct in the light of the sound economic position which Iraq would attain if all went well with the new IPC Agreement.1 Economic aid could largely be confined to technical assistance.
I said that I hoped this approach was an indication that Iraq stood ready to cooperate with the West in strengthening the defense of the [Page 552] area since this would naturally make us more interested in sending military aid to Iraq.
Mr. Bakr said this point was not specifically included in his instructions but he would mention it to his Government.
[Here follows the remainder of this memorandum which concerns Bakr’s imminent departure for San Francisco to attend the Japanese Treaty Conference, and Iraq’s views on the stationing of United States troops in Japan. McGhee closed with the information that he and Bakr had discussed in general terms such questions as the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) Agreement and Iraq-Jordan union without developing any new thoughts on the questions.]