Cablegram, Washington, 29 March 1951
454. PRIORITY TOP SECRET
Pacific Security Pact.
Satterthwaite of British Commonwealth Affairs Office has told us:
1. State Department is awaiting word from United Kingdom Government. United Kingdom Minister told Rusk on 23rd March that British Embassy still without instructions from United Kingdom Government.
2 State Department policy was to push on with the pact as quickly as possible once the United Kingdom had indicated their views and they had received our comments.
3. There were prospects that the Pentagon and White House approval could be secured within 10 days or fortnight once the State Department were in a position to put the Pact proposal to them formally. A good deal of preliminary work had already been done in Pentagon and White House.
We should [mention][1] that Franks returned to Washington from London yesterday. British Embassy has informed us that as of today no views have been received from London. However, Dulles has asked to see Franks tomorrow and British Embassy expects that Dulles will again urge upon Franks the need for early expression of United Kingdom views concerning Pacific Security Pact.
_1 Word in square brackets added by hand.
_
[NAA : A6768, EATS 77, iv]