840.20/8–2548
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Lovett)
| Participants: | The Netherlands Ambassador;1 |
| The Under Secretary; | |
| T. C. Achilles–WE. |
The Ambassador called at his request to express his and Baron Silvercruys’2 concern at the French position as expressed by Ambassador Bonnet in current exploratory talks on security.3
I observed that the National Military Establishment, the Secretary and I had all explained ad nauseam to the French that the equipment necessary for immediate rearming of French forces did not exist but that it had had no apparent effect on Bonnet and that I suspected he might have misled his Government on the possible availability of such equipment.
He believed that, although Bonnet was pushing his Government’s position certainly unwisely and possibly for personal reasons, the real trouble was in Paris and that it would be useful to exert pressure there. I said that both the Canadians and we have asked our Ambassadors in Paris to do some plain speaking to the French. He was gratified but suggested that we might wish to advise our Ambassadors in London, The Hague and Brussels of the situation with a view to getting those three Governments to do likewise. I said this seemed a good idea and that we probably would do so.