Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume V

Secretary’s Memoranda, Lot 53 D 444, Secretary’s Memos of Conversation

Draft Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State¹

secret

[Washington,] September 16, 1949.

Participants:	Secretary Acheson
	Belgian Foreign Minister van Zeeland2
	The Belgian Ambassador3
	Mr. MacArthur, WE

Mr. Van Zeeland said that he wished to touch briefly on the rather delicate subject of East-West trade. He said that the Belgian Government fully concurs with us in the principle of restricting the export of strategic materials to the Soviet Union and its satellites. On the other hand he said that when the Belgian Government entered into an agreement on this subject, it would wish to implement it honestly, not only plugging possible loopholes which might arise from exports to Switzerland and Sweden or other countries which are ultimately destined for the Soviet Union, but also being sure of the exact nomenclature of the items included in the agreement. Therefore, before his Government could adopt such a program it was indispensable that the exact nature of the individual items be clearly spelled out. This was most important to avoid subsequent charges of bad faith and in this connection he mentioned there was already some confusion in the nomenclature of items on the lists which we have submitted to his government. He said that he understood this whole question was in the process of being ironed out and that he had been in close touch with Mr. Haynes, Chief of the ECA Mission in Brussels.⁴ He also counted on being in very close touch with Mr. Haynes’ successor, Mr. Nuveen. He inquired as to whether Secretary Acheson had any information on Mr. Nuveen’s plans.

I said that I was glad to hear that the Belgian Government shared our views on the principle of restricting exports of strategic materials to the east. I went on to say that we were sorry our negotiations with the Belgians had not proceeded as rapidly as they had with Great Britain, France, Italy and certain other countries. I added that it was too bad that the American technical mission which had recently visited Europe for the purpose of clarifying the nature of listed items had not been able to go over the list with the Belgian experts. I said that I hoped, however, that negotiations could proceed rapidly. While I did not know Mr. Nuveen’s plans I was sure that he would wish to work in the closest harmony with Mr. Van Zeeland and the appropriate officials of the Belgian Government.

Mr. Van Zeeland replied that the American technical mission had not been able to get in touch with the Belgian experts because of a mix-up in Brussels which occurred during his absence in Strasbourg. He understood, however, that one and possibly several of these experts might return to Brussels and believed that this would hasten the reaching of a satisfactory agreement.

He concluded by saying that while the Belgian Government fully agrees in the principle of limiting the export of strategic materials, he thought that consideration might perhaps be given to setting up some sort of informal mechanism of the participating countries so that those countries which honestly implement the program will not be penalized by non-observance by other participating countries. This was a very delicate matter, however, and his views on this were not as yet crystallized.

1. This draft memorandum, which was prepared by Douglas MacArthur, 2nd, Chief of the Division of Western European Affairs, is not signed.
2. Foreign Minister van Zeeland was in Washington for the First Session of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Council.
3. Baron Silvercruys.
4. John L. Haynes was Program-Review Officer of the ECA Mission in Belgium. James G. Blaine was Chief of the ECA Mission in Belgium until September 1949 when he was succeeded by John Nuveen, Jr.