FOREIGN -RELATIONS, 1950-, VOLUME I


American countries with the full amount of equipment requested. You
may indicate that, fortunately, by virtue of their geographical and
political situation, the American republics do not at this time face a
-threat of aggression comparable to that experienced by many coun-
tries. You may state that the security of the United States and the
0entire hemisphere dictates that the greater share of limited United
-States resources available for foreign military assistance be made
available to those countries outside the hemisphere which are irmnedi-
:ately exposed to the threat of aggression.
   You may advise the foreign government that in preparing any re-
.quest for equipment it should give first priority to the need for main-
tenance and modernization of equipment already on hand and for
-such other equipment as may be necessary for the maintenance of
-internal security, You should discourage it from requesting equip-
muent beyond the ability of its economy to support. You may indicate
that, in the opinion of the United States, the Inter-American Treaty
;of Reciprocal Assistance 4 and other Inter-American commitments to
ma-intain peace in the hemisphere are effective safeguards against
aggression as between American states.
   In discussing with the foreign government the extent of its requests
 -for military equipment, the point should be made that the present cost
 -of military equipment will be equivalent to ,current cost, which cost 'is
 ,substantially higher than that for equipment previously furnished.
 -Some savings might accrue to Latin American countries whenever
 their comparatively small requests can be added to large requirements
 -and joint procurement undertaken.
                                                           AcHESON

   .'For text, see Department of State Treaties and Other International Acts
 'Series (TIAS) No. 1838, or 62 Stat. (pt. 2) 1681.

 -710.5/2-750
 2i1emnoranduam by the Director of the Office of Regional American
   Affairs (Dreier) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-
   Amnerican Affairs (Miller)'

 'TOP SECRET                        [WASHINGTON,] February 7, 1950.
 .Subject: US policy toward inter-American military collaboration
    (1) The NME has proposed in the attached paper 2 that the Inter-
 American Defense Board formulate (a) a hemisphere defense scheme,

   IMemorandum addressed also to Mr. Willard F. Barber, Deputy As~sistant
 -Secretary -of State for Inter-American Affairs.
   'Draft -by .the Staff of the National Security Council, "U.S. Policy
toward
 Inter-American Military Collaboration," February 2, 1950, not printed.
(Th)05/
 :2-750) The final draft of this paper was NSC 56/2, May 18, 1950 ; see p.
628.


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