https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/6ff2507907d68e4a1d11efd6e615be6b.pdf ff2d2dc98ab1d36d3f8b7a5cf5b4552f PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information Defense liaison (l}/fc*C.Brown/ow t DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ^y_- / MEMORANDUM ^ ..„.,.. TO: i. K be^ft-ity ctober 2 i , 1955 Date FROM: ..AafsBoa.Liaison..(U.-Dixiaian • File No. 5G045-&-40 REFERENCE: SUBJECT: Alwfcft .F.r.Ofifdurea At his Joint Staff briefing on October 21, General Foulkes referred t o his conversations l a s t week In Washington with Admiral Radford, and mentioned the subject of a l e r t s procedures In particular* Bedford apparently said something t o the effect that th* t r i - p a r t i t e approach to tha question contained In the Waited Kingdom working paper, en which we have been awaiting a reply from the State ^apartment since l a s t April, had bean turned down by the Pentagon although t h i s decision had not yet bean communicated to the ate Department* (This i s in lino with Information concerning the a t t i t u d e of tho Pentagon which has reached t h i s Deportment through Intelligence channels*) According to Radford the U.S* Joint Chiefs wore reluctant to agree t o consultation on a t r l - p a r t i t e basis in view of the difficul t i e s of obtaining co-ordination inside ths United States Governmental machine. In particular between th® rentagsn and tha Central Intelligence Agency* 2* General ioulkes them asked Eaciford if the United States would be willing to work out Canada-U.S. a l e r t s procedures in the continental defence context. General Foulkes emphasised that decisions to declare a l e r t s In Canada could only be taken a t tha highest level and t h a t If tha continental s i r defence system was to operate effect i v e l y I t was essential that procedures should ba worked out for f u l l consultation leading up t o the declaration of a l e r t s In Canada and the United States* Radford agreed • • •Ext. 326 (2/53) 000323 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information est - 2 - t h a t t h i s was d s s i r a b l e in t h e caae of t a c t i c a l , but not n e c e s s a r i l y of s t r a t e g i c , warning* sladford gave no explanation a s t o how to d i s t i n g u i s h between s t r a t e g i c and t a c t i c a l informs* t i o n in t h i s context* 3. While wo should perhaps not rsad too jaamm i n t o t h e s e off-the-cuff remarks by Honoral Foulkes, I suggest t h a t we should keep them In mind i n preparing for t h a next meeting of consultation* Ton w i l l r e c a l l t h a t one of the proposed agenda items I s t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e «4TQ a l e r t s system sad north American a i r dofonco* be have c o n s i s t e n t l y taken t h e l i n e t h a t the t r l - p f r t l t e approach t o t h i s a a t t s r l a tho best one; but r e g a r d l e s s of how t h a t stands a t tho t i m e , 1 think i t i s most d e s i r a b l e t o r a i s e a t t h e mooting of consultation the question of procedures for d e c l a r i n g a l e r t s in north America. Indeed, I t might he b a t t e r t a c t i c s t o change t h e agenda Item t o something l i k e "Alerts procedures in r e l a t i o n t o s o r t ' American defence". I t would then bo possible t o lead up t o discussion of t r i - p a r t i t e arrangements, or n o t , a s appeared t o be d e s i r a b l e * 4* I f we Intend t o go ahead with tha discussion of a l e r t s a t the meeting of c o n s u l t a t i o n , I would recommend t h a t we Inform t h e O.K. foreign Office t h a t we a r e doing so* In informing them we might say t h a t we find i t necessary t o discuss a l e r t s In t h e context of c o n t i n e n t a l defence, and i t l a not intended t o cut across in any way t h o j o i n t approach already made In Washington on NATO a l e r t s * 5* X am disturbed by the d i s t i n c t i o n which Kadford seems to have made between t a c t i c a l and s t r a t e g i c warning* I f he has in mind l i m i t i n g the exchange of information t o what comes off the radar system and t h e l i k e (for which arrangements of course already e x i s t ) , he Is placing i n jeopardy t h e 1951 agreement to I n s t i t u t e t h e meetings of c o n s u l t a t i o n , which in effect a r e intended t o give as some s t r a t e g i c warning of t h o imminence of an atomic war* What i s needed now, perhaps, I s to r e - a s s e r t tha underlying purpose of tho 1951 agreement and to consider whether e x i s t i n g arrangements s r s adequate t o ensure t h a t we fully exchange Information upon which t o base a judgment of t h o Imminence of war* The p o s s i b i l i t y i s nem much g r e a t e r ...3 000325 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information - 3than It was then, in the event of war, of U.S. atomic weapons being not only deployed but also employed over and in Canads* Ths Canadian Government is surely entitled to insist that any decision we might be asked to take authorising the employment of U.S. atomic weapons over or in Canada should bo based on tho fullest possible exchange of information and consultation between the two governments* If you agree, I shall give further considers, tion to the manner In which this question might bo approached at tho mooting of consultation* 6* As ths neat step, I propose drafting for your signature a letter to General Foulkes (with copies to Mr. Heeney and Mr* Iryce) asking him what he learned about th® alerts from Admiral i sdford, and requesting his comments on ths ideas In paragraphs 3 - 5 above* I should be grateful to know if this meets with your approval* 7* Mr* Crean* This semorsmdUB was prepared in consultation with o. $**« I I ..?. division i have Just seen Mr. Hsonoy's l e t t e r of October 25 to you (attached). Tha information in i t conforms with that which we already had* 000326 � 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/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDIW00028 Title A name given to the resource CDIW00028 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived "Tripartite Intelligence Alerts Agreement," RG25, Box 34, File 29-3-1-2, Part 1, Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Subject The topic of the resource Intelligence Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/staging/CanadaDeclassifieditems-November2020/CDIW00028.pdf Language A language of the resource en