Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, Western Europe, Volume IV

840.20/2–949

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of European Affairs (Hickerson)

top secret

[Washington,] February 9, 1949.

Participants:	Mr. Sean Nunan, The Irish Minister
	EUR—Mr. Hickerson
	BC—Mr. Satterthwaite
	Mr. Fales

Mr. Nunan presented the attached aide-mémoire¹ and stated that he was under instructions to state orally that he desired to impress upon us that this reply was not to be regarded as closing the door and that the Irish Government desired United States mediation in the problem of partition.

I explained that the Atlantic Pact was designed for security purposes and that it was not an appropriate means of settling problems of such long-standing duration as the question of partition in Northern Ireland. I stated that I believed that the attitude of the United States would remain unchanged and that we felt we could not intervene in a question between our two very good friends in as much as it was a question for them to settle between themselves.

Mr. Nunan pointed out that previous American attitude had to some extent been based upon the fact that Ireland was a member of the British Commonwealth and that this situation no longer pertained. I replied that our views were not based entirely on Ireland’s position as a member of the Commonwealth and that we still felt that partition was an issue to be settled by the two interested parties.

It was pointed out to Mr. Nunan that the United States was speaking as only one of the original signatories and that the aide-mémoire would be brought to the attention of the other participants.

Mr. Nunan again expressed hope that the United States could mediate and stated that the Irish were informed that there were certain members of the British Government who desired to see this matter settled. Mr. Nunan requested that we investigate this situation. It was pointed out to Mr. Nunan that we would be surprised if there were not many members of the British Government who desired to see the matter settled and that we ourselves desired a peaceful settlement but that it remained an issue for settlement between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

John D. Hickerson

1. From the Irish Legation, February 9, 1949, not printed. A close paraphrase of this aide-mémoire was issued to the press by the Irish Legation on February 14 under the title “The Irish Position Regarding the Atlantic Pact”.