WESTERN HEMISPHERE :DEFENSE


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they consider that jet fighters are an essential requirement for Vene-
zuela's defense role, the Department will not oppose the acquisition
by Venezuela of jet aircraft, either through private commercial trans-
actions or under the MDAP.2
   Slince one of the main reasons why the Air Force has strongly
 backed the efforts of American producers to sell jet aircraft to Latin
 American countries has been the fact that sales by the British have
 already taken place, the Department considered whether we might
 get the British to agree to prohibit further sales in that area. In dis-
 cussing this with the Office of European Affairs, we were informed
 that, while we might obtain from the British an agreement to with-
 hold certain types of armaments, such as jet planes, from     Latin
 America, if we did likewise, it would be futile to attempt to get the
 British to agree not to sell such weapons there if we intended there-
 upon to pre-empt the market for ourselves.
   You will see from the above report of the views of the Department
 of the Air Force that it would be most unlikely that agreement could
 be reached within this Government to withhold the sale of all jet
 aircraft to Latin America. In fact, if our Defense Department makes
 strategic plans which require the governments, such as Venezuela,3
 we could not very well, in my opinion, bind ourselves with the British
 not to make -such planes available.
   Fturthermore, it is likely that the Latin American countries would
 learn of any effort we might make to get the British to restrict the
 export of arms to them and would resent such action on our part as
 being excessively paternalistic. Finally, we must recognize -that, since
 two Latin American countries already have jet aircraft, it is even
 more difficult than might otherwise be the case for us to attempt to
 prevent others from getting them.4
   The President recently approved la policy paper drafted in the Na-
tional Security Council on inter-American military cooperation.5
Should you wish to look this paper over, Mr. Dreier of the Office of
Regional American Affairs (will be glad to bring it up to you. This
paper sets forth the steps which should now be taken in order to
clarify the basis formilitary cooperation with each of the other A eri-
can republics. The principal steps outlined are: (a) preparation by

   Correspondence on this subject between the Departments of State and Defense
is in files 731.5622 and 731.5811 for 1950.
  3Apparent omission ,of a clause.
  In a memorandum of March 29, 1950, to Mr. Miller, Mr. Dreier, in summariz-
ing discussion within the Bureau ,of Inter-Amerioan Affairs ,of an approach
to the
British on this subject, stated, in addition to ,the points mentioned above:
"It
is doubtful that the Secretary would wish to raise this controversial issue
with
the British at the present time, when so many other difficult questions of
major
importance are being discussed." (723.5 MAP/3-2950)
  'Reference is to NSC 56/2, p. 628.