Extracts from a letter from Hugh McCann to Seán Nunan (Washington DC)

Minister.
I called to see Mr. Satterthwaite of the State Department today at his request. After discussion of affairs generally he came around to the question of the negotiations for the modification of our Air Agreement with the U.S. Mr. Satterthwaite indicated that the State Department were anxious to receive a reply to their latest Note on the subject. He stressed that they were particularly anxious to receive an indication that we would be prepared to grant them the rights they requested. They would leave it to us to say when the right to use Dublin Airport might begin to be exercised.

On this occasion Mr. Satterthwaite made a mild and reasoned exposé of the U.S. point of view which contrasted with earlier exaggerated memoranda on the subject. He made a point of emphasising that there was no ground whatsoever for the suggestion which had appeared in the New York Times some time ago to the effect that there was a wider strategic significance to the present negotiations. He made the comment that if they had in mind possible military uses of Dublin Airport they would have approached the negotiations in an entirely different manner.

[matter omitted]

On the questions of principle, involved, Mr. Satterthwaite said that they were being pressed by other countries to have compulsory stops such as we have at Shannon, and Shannon Airport was a source of embarrassment to them in their negotiations with other countries. He emphasised that the time had come when Shannon could be by-passed in any case and he thought it would be in our interest to face up to this reality now and make the best of it. Urging that we should concede the right to use Dublin Airport even if we do not agree to its exercise immediately, he explained their desire that the right should not be limited as to frequency in view of their general line of policy against frequency limitations. He mentioned that we had always in the past supported the general principle of no limitations as to frequency. He realised that we might have some internal political difficulties with the people in the Limerick area, etc. and for this reason he would leave it to us to choose the moment to open Dublin Airport to transatlantic flights provided we conceded the desired rights at this stage.

If, as appeared to be the case, our main difficulty was that of expense (which he mentioned would in any event be relatively small), he affirmed once more that the U.S. would strongly support us in any approach to I.C.A.O. for assistance and he felt reasonably sure that some assistance would be forthcoming.

In conclusion, Mr. Satterthwaite asked me to do anything I could to expedite a favourable decision on the U.S. proposals. In the course of a subsequent discussion over coffee about Irish-U.S. affairs generally, he hinted that a favourable decision on this question would help to clear the way towards improved relations between the two countries.