840.20/9–1048
Minutes of the Seventh Meeting of the Washington Exploratory Talks on Security, September 10, 1948, 4 p. m.
In opening the meeting, Mr. Lovett referred to the paper which the working group had prepared and inquired whether the document reflected the sense of the last meeting. Mr. Wrong said that he was satisfied with the paper as it was now written, adding that it appeared to be a flexible document and that he was anxious to commend it to the study of his government. Baron Silvercruys, Dr. Van Kleffens, M. Bonnet and Sir Oliver Franks agreed with Mr. Wrong’s statement.
Mr. Lovett paid a tribute to the working team for drafting the document under discussion. He went on to say that his interpretation of the feeling of those present was that the paper in its present form would be despatched to the governments concerned in accordance with the usual security arrangements.
Mr. Wrong said that he proposed, in commending consideration of the project to the Canadian Government, to express his firm conviction that if a pact along the lines of that currently under discussion had existed in the later 1930’s, there would have been no war in 1939, and that a similar pact probably would have prevented the outbreak of the war that began in 1914. Consideration of what horrors the world might have avoided, he believed, sharply underlined the enormous significance of what this present group was attempting to achieve. If a pact of this nature would have deterred Hitler, he continued, it would certainly be likely to have a strongly deterrent effect on the leaders of Russia; Hitler was a fanatic with a mission, unable to bide his time, but the Marxists were under no such dictates of urgency, since their very ideology required them to refrain at a given time from taking any action which might prejudice the eventual overthrow of capitalism. He therefore hoped that the governments represented at the table would eagerly pursue the project outlined in the paper, despite the other manifold preoccupations which required immediate attention. Some of these preoccupations, in fact, would be more easily dealt with once the framework of a North Atlantic system had been created. Mr. Wrong believed that one of the greatest advantages which the creation of such a system would bring would be the attainment of certainty, and particularly of continuing certainty about the long-term position of the United States as a partner in a North Atlantic security system; in his judgment this alone far outweighed [Page 250] whatever new risks might conceivably arise from the conclusion of the pact.
Baron Silvercruys agreed with Mr. Wrong’s statement and asked that a full record of it be included in the minutes.
Dr. Van Kleffens said that the delineation of the area within which an armed attack would bring the pact into operation was dealt with rather perfunctorily in the paper. The subject, he suggested, might be further elaborated in a covering note or letter of transmittal which would accompany the document itself. This proposal was agreed to.
M. Bonnet believed that the document as it now stood would give the governments a complete picture, so that in his opinion nothing further could be gained by discussion of the paper at this time. Since the opinions of the governments were now urgently required, he suggested that the document be sent to them without delay.
Mr. Lovett mentioned the deep sense of unity which he had felt in this entire enterprise. The representatives had, he thought, attempted to promote peace and to create some assurance that life would be worth living in the future. He was prepared to hope for the best. He went on to say that he hoped that other representatives had found the preparation of this paper as stimulating and as illuminating as he had, and that he believed much might be accomplished in the future if many of the current problems could be approached in the same spirit. He thanked all the members present and members of the working group for the energetic and competent manner in which they had undertaken and performed their task. Assuming that the various governments would require a period of time to give consideration to this paper, Mr. Lovett suggested that the representatives participating in these conversations consider themselves adjourned but subject to call to resume when the advice and comments from the governments were received.
Baron Silvercruys paid tribute to the admirable manner in which Mr. Lovett had conducted these discussions and wished to convey the gratitude of the other representatives for the help that he had given them all. In conclusion, Mr. Lovett thanked all the representatives present.