https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/fd9230913757f86f95ab3b5bc2b2703c.pdf 2223b0557ef43330ec38619d95cfd21b PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulge en vertu de la Loi surl’acces a information E . TELETYPE MESSAGE From: THE I GAN AD IAN i AMBASSADOR TO THE IUNI TED 'STATES To: THE SECRETARY OF .STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS May 3rd, 1952. WASHINGTON, Originated by tHeH-Wrong.s.G,.gnatisff.... Time .12: 30. P:m: .. TTESP1 Author Z6(l by » o o , .. , a. o a a [ VV > ..... Cypher ( XX ) or Enclair ( o o y o o A/o J- ' ) )lkRo A IMM5 s Despatched by.Time. ...... . Y ins. ... 7 0 THE APPROPRIATE SECURITY OR. URGENCY PREFIXES, WHEN REQUIRED BY THE CONTENTS, SHOULD BE TYPED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MESSAGE. No. WA- ... .... WISER TOP SECRET. WISER NO. 42. Following for Reid from Wrong. Begins: Meeting of Consultations 1. I have been informed by Arneson that the State Depart- ment expect to arrange the. next Meeting of Consultation in the latter part of next week, the date to be fixed on Monday. 2. I am concerned that unless some effort is made to introduce new ideas and liven up these meetings,, they might well become a mere formality, or peter but. i 1- J ' ■ We have already made it „ clear informally to Arne son .that we expect the U.S. side to carry the initiative in assessing the risks of general war, both because, they are better- equipped as to sources of information and also because this represents their quid pro quo for Canadian permission to use facilities and airspace in Canada for activities of the Strategic Air Command. I hope that this prodding will have some effect upon the nextmeeting and that I shall not have to, as I did at the last’meeting held on February 29th, make improvisations on hypothetical .Canadian reactions to, various contingent international/crises. 3. ‘ sRo/ side nu5-b carry the main • . r ■ / responsibility to keep these meetings going, I do think that we should be prepared to make some contribution, as it is obviously in our interests to know what U.S. thinking is on the risks of general/ 00206 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulge en vertu de la Loi surl’acces a /'information -2- WISER TOP SECRET. general war and on the handling of particular situations which may give rise to such risks. Further guidance and comment is therefore most desirable. 4e Some of the particular questions which might be brought up at the next meeting are the following: (a) The possible results of a breakdown of the armistice negotiations in Korea; (b) Possible Soviet reactions to the Japanese Peace Treaty and bilateral U.S.-Japanese Security Pact; (c) Possible Soviet reactions to the conclusion of the E.D.C. Treaty and contractural arrangements with Germany, or. alternatively, the consequences of the possible breakdown of the negotiations; (d) Possible consequences of failure to settle disputes between U.K. and Iran and U.K. and Egypt, and (e) Implications of the Tunisian dispute upon Arab-Asian support for collective measures through the U.N. to — restrain the Soviet Union. Points (d) and (e), however, are not directly relevant to the general purpose of the consultations, and should perhaps not be raised by us. ' 5. Further questions, which I think might be brought up at subsequentemeetings, arise from the British-American consultations, on which I reported in my Wiser Letter No. 23 of March 5th. The last such meeting, which was held on February 5th, included the discussion of two important problems: (a) the U.K. appreciation of the nature and effects of general war, and (b) the possible uses of the technique of ultimatum® As to (a), I have been subsequently informed by the British Embassy that they were instructed to ask whether the State Department might' agree to having a formal minute of the discussion drawn up in identical terms acceptable to both sides. The State Department apparently replied that while they found themselves' in general agreement with the U.K., they preferred not/ 00207 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act ■ Document divulge en vertu de la Loi suri'acces a /'information e s WISER TOP SECRET -3- not to have any agreed record emerge from these consultations. It occurs to me that our Chiefs of Staff might think it timely to prepare an appreciation of the nature and effects of general war seen from a Canadian point of view, and that this might be used for discussion at a Meeting of Consultation at which military representatives would be present. For instance, I might ask A.V.M. Campbell to attend such a meeting® 6® As to the possible use of the technique of ultimatum, I wonder if we should not consider the hypothesis that the Soviet Government, rather than taking Such action as would risk general war and atomic retaliation, might continue to limit its efforts to extend Communist power to moves which would fall short of the risk of involvement in total war. This is a reasonable assumption of probable Soviet intent. If a number of limited aggressions, using satellite forces on the Korean model, were to take place, particularly in Asia, the question would undoubtedly arise as to what measures of restraint should and could be adopted by the Western Powers. The use of the ultimatum technique, as suggested by the U.K. Government, is particularly relevant in this connection. I think it would be worth while considering this problem in the Department and letting me have some views which I could take up at a later meeting. 7. I will let you know the time set for the meeting as soon as I am informed of it. Ends. gi.gm 00208 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource CDNW (Wiser) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource CDNW16845 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDNW16845 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wiser Consultations, RG25-B-2, Volume number: 3095, Library and Archives Canada.