840.00/6–2348: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France
2251. For Ambassador’s eyes only. We have today advised French, Brit, Canadian, Belgian and Netherlands Embs we would be ready to begin top secret exploratory talks pursuant to Vandenberg Res with them on June 29. We contemplate exchange of views on following tentative agenda: (1) situation in Europe as it affects security, including estimates of Soviet intentions; (2) security measures taken and to be taken in Europe by Brussels signatories; (3) security relations with other Western European countries; (4) nature of US association under Vandenberg Resolution with European security arrangements.
They were told we did not consider any military representatives or anyone coming especially from their FonOffs would be necessary.
Lux Min also advised but he is going on leave leaving no representative here.
Sent to Paris; rptd for Ambassador’s eyes only to Brussels, The Hague and Ottawa.1
- A similar announcement for Ambassadors’ eyes only was included in telegram 2356 to London of June 23 and repeated on June 29 in telegrams 312 to Oslo, 415 to Copenhagen and 469 to Stockholm; none printed. The following paragraph was added to telegrams 312, 415 and 469: “Norwegian and Danish Ambassadors here have been advised of foregoing. Norwegian and Danish Foreign Ministers may be top secretly advised that while at least in first instance talks will be purely exploratory and limited to diplomatic representatives of Brussels signatories and Canada we have problem of Norwegian and Danish security much in mind. Pending further developments we hope no action will be taken which would render Norwegian and Danish, and we hope eventually Swedish, participation in Western European security arrangements in association with US more difficult.” (840.20/6–2948.)↩