840.20/5–2848
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs (Achilles)
During a conversation with Mr. Stone1 last week I had asked him whether the Canadian Government contemplated participating in the current military conversations in London. I said that in view of Canadian-U.S. joint defense arrangements and efforts towards arms standardization, the question was of interest to us because of possible American participation at some stage in the London talks. I had also asked him whether, in the event of conversations being held with the signatories of the Five Power Treaty concerning American support, the Canadian Government would wish to sit in with respect to Canadian support. I had made clear that I was speaking strictly off the cuff and that I had no idea what our own position might be on this latter point.
He told me this morning that he had consulted Ambassador Wrong and Under Secretary Pearson and that all three held the personal opinion that Canada would accept an invitation to participate in either or both talks. Pearson emphasized that he could not speak for the Canadian Government but believed that the Government would definitely wish to participate in the London talks and would probably see no objection to participating in conversations here should we so desire.
- Thomas A. Stone, Canadian Minister in the United States.↩