800.796/849
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)
The Belgian Ambassador8a came in to see me today at his request. The Ambassador referred to the conversations on civil aviation and to a report that the United States had been engaged in conversations [Page 471] between the great powers and also with the Netherlands. He did not think this was true, but asked the general state of affairs.
I told him that we had only discussed matters with the British and, for local geographical reasons, with the Canadians; that we were beginning Chinese conversations this week, and expected to begin with the Russians on or shortly after May 15. Thereafter we proposed to discuss with other interested powers. I surmised that by the end of the month, if all went well, we might be ready to talk to other nations, including Belgium.
The Ambassador alluded to the difficulty of getting personnel here from London; but said that he would telephone me about the 22nd of May to find out how things stood and whether they should then press for permission for their expert to come here. He said the only aviation expert they had in the country was Perrier, of the Sabena (Africa) Line.
He also bespoke support for a note he had just sent asking three additional Boeings for the Sabena Line. I told him we were sympathetic but that the Army was very tough about transport planes.
- Count Robert van der Straten-Ponthoz.↩