840.00/1–2049: Telegram
The Ambassador in Belgium (Kirk) to the Acting Secretary of State
100. Loridan1 says Belgians very disappointed by way in which Paris meeting study committee for European Union is going. When [Page 41] British agreed resume conversations January 18 on French and Belgian insistence, Belgians hoped real progress could be made prior Brussels Pact Foreign Ministers London meeting January 26. These hopes were dashed when Dalton2 came back with new instructions which injected entirely new elements into question.
Loridan said while there is general agreement re European Council, British still strongly opposed European Assembly and on January 18 proposed its replacement by “European Conference” composed delegates chosen by participating governments. These delegates would not vote individually, but by country, which Loridan said missed whole point of European Assembly as French and Belgians saw it. He added Belgians were shaken by British suggestion that eventually Germany would have 11 delegates, whereas Belgium would have only four, proposal Belgian public opinion would not swallow.
While question European Union will be discussed Foreign Ministers meeting in London next week, Loridan is not optimistic in view present British position and fears that no agreement will be reached in London, thus postponing real progress in formation European Union for another three months.
Sent Department 100, repeated London 8, Paris 12, The Hague 6.