840.00/10–2849: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom
3892. Personal for the Ambassador. Statement1 contained in Depts tel 3848 Oct 262 was sent by Brit Chargé to Secy as personal message from Bevin. Subsequently third from last word in penultimate para of quoted message “close” was corrected to “closer”.
Pls deliver to Bevin following personal answer from Secy: “I appreciate receiving your views on the important problem of closer union in Europe, and I am pleased to note the reaffirmation of your government’s whole-hearted participation in the organizations designed to bring this about. Frankly, however, I am troubled by one aspect of your message which deals with further steps along this line. It appears to me to imply the negative attitude of giving sympathetic [Page 349] consideration to proposals that might be put forward by others. I would hope that your government could indicate a more positive role. There is a growing conviction here that greater and more rapid progress toward our joint objective of promoting European unity is essential. We are convinced that there can be no unity of Europe, or among groups of European countries, effective enough to move matters forward without the strong support and, to the greatest extent possible, participation of the UK, backed by the rest of the Commonwealth. I am sure that you will not misunderstand this candid expression of my views as I am so mindful of the leadership you yourself took in the early days of the ERP and the Brussels Pact.
I realize that the UK cannot mesh its economy as fully into that of the continent as we believe it essential that the continentals do among themselves. On the other hand the touchstone of unity on the continent is the extent to which the UK and US are prepared not only to exert leadership but to participate as fully as the situation of each makes possible.
You refer in your message to the necessity of your actions in Europe being consistent with the objectives of the communiqué issued after the September talks. I do not see how those objectives could be considered incompatible with any steps toward closer European unity. On the contrary, we feel strongly that the common effort envisaged in the communiqué and the strengthening and deepening of European unity are mutually supporting and interdependent.
It is clear that the positions of our two countries will be decisive in this matter. It is as important that we see eye to eye in this case as it is in other fields which also directly affect our security and our future.