Minutes of the Fourteenth Meeting of the Committee (Deputy Directors) Held in Conference Room "G", at the Ministry of Defence, S.W.I, on Wednesday. 8th February, 1950, at 11.00 a.m.

2. POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE CONFIDENTIAL PROVISION OF MILITARY AID BY CERTAIN COUNTRIES TO FRENCH INDO- CHINA, SIAM OR BURMA. THE COMMITTEE had before them a minute+ by the Secretary covering a report≠ by the Joint Intelligence Committee, Far East, on the political implications of the provision of military aid by the United Kingdom and other members of the Commonwealth, or by the United States, to French Indo-China, Siam or Burma. MR. BRAIN suggested that as the report was chiefly of a political nature, the Committee might wish the Foreign Office to examine it and prepare comments thereon for consideration by the other Departments. If the latter had any comments to make on the report, these could be passed to the Foreign Office unless it was considered that they were such as to justify a joint examination being made by the Joint Intelligence Staff of the Joint Intelligence Committee, Far East, paper. In discussion, it was generally agreed that the Foreign Office should be invited to prepare comments on the report and that other Departments should send their comments, if any, to the Foreign Office. THE COMMITTEE:- (1) Invited the Foreign Office to prepare comments on the report by the Joint Intelligence Committee, Far East, and to circulate these for their consideration. (2) Invited other Departments to forward their comments, if any, on the report, to the Foreign Office. + J.I.C./233/50. ≠ J.I.C. (F.E.) (49) 50 (Final). 3. SITUATION IN CENTRAL AMERICA TOP SECRET GUARD THE COMMITTEE considered a minute+ by the War Office suggesting that a study should be made of the military situation in Central America with particular reference to a possible threat to British possessions in that area. BRIGADIER BOUCHER said that the War Office considered that in the light of reports which had recently been received regarding arms traffic and other events in the Caribbean, the situation in that area was possibly being treated rather optimistically. He recalled that very little information relating to this problem was received from the United States. Accordingly, as the War Office were of the opinion that the situation in this area was explosive, they had suggested that a paper should be prepared on the possible developments in the military situation in Central America with particular reference to a threat to British possessions. + M.I.1(c) VP.5994 dated 3rd February, 1950. -2-