840.00/2–1648: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
274. For Reber.1 Belgian Ambassador2 states Spaak has telegraphed Ambassador London he had heard from Paris Benelux might be allowed merely present views during forthcoming talks and not participate in discussion, that such procedure would be ridiculous and Belgium would not participate on such basis and that if this represented Bevin’s idea of Western Union3 it was poor start. Ambassador anticipated difficulties with French in view similarity between Benelux and US positions.
He was advised we favor direct Benelux participation in discussion, as distinct from presentation of views, at early stage of conference on long range questions though naturally not on operational ones or in any agreements reached on operational matters within functions of occupying powers.
Sent London as 517, repeated Paris 477, Berlin 274, Brussels 230.
- Reber was serving as a member of the United States Delegation to the London Conference on Germany.↩
- Baron Silvercruys. A memorandum of conversation between Theodore Achilles and Ambassador Suvercruys on February 14 is filed separately under 740.00119 Council/2–1448.↩
- For documentation on the attitude of the United States toward the establishment of a Western European Union, see volume iii .↩