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

840.50 Recovery/10–2149: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Netherlands ¹

secret

Washington, October 28, 1949—2 p. m.

952. Pass ECA. Urtel 983, Oct 21.² On basis ECA Mission reports to date, ECA & Dept are of impression Neth and Belg Govts are making little effort cooperate on trade controls, and are taking refuge in least common denominator concept. Dept awaits Emb air pouch report with interest, but urges continued efforts impress firmly upon Neth Govt importance US attaches effective prompt embargo 1A items, regardless of what other countries do. Important these views be made unmistakably clear before Nov 14 Paris mtg, so that US position at mtg will be supported by effective advance work by ECA & Emb. For your info Ital has maintained effective embargo entire 1A list for at least a year, and has cooperated most fully with US. Brit and Fr controls are more comprehensive than Neth, as are those of Den and Nor. Dept considers success parallel action effort to substantial extent hinges now on securing Neth-Belg cooperation.

Suggest Emb Paris rpt Embtel 4427, Oct. 22³ to The Hague.

Acheson

1. Repeated to Paris as telegram 4104.
2. Not printed. It reported the view of the Embassy, following consultations with the ECA Mission in the Netherlands, that Netherlands authorities were not behind those of other Western European countries in exercising controls over East-West trade. The Embassy did not believe that diplomatic representations to the Netherlands Foreign Ministry for more effective trade controls would be warranted (840.50 Recovery/10–2149). In a more detailed report transmitted to the Department of State as despatch 447, October 21, from The Hague, not printed, the Embassy reported that the Netherlands Government was embargoing all but 10 items on the British export control list of April. Dutch controls over transit trade were believed to be more effective than those of other Western European countries. The Embassy also reported that the Netherlands Government had suggested the establishment of a consultative group of experts representing all the NATO countries including the United States which would establish export control lists based upon the American 1–A and 1–B lists and which would organize and coordinate the necessary controls. Operations of such a consultative group would be multilateral and decisions would be based upon majority votes (640.6031/10–2149). In his telegram Repto 7239, November 4, from Paris, not printed, Ambassador Harriman expressed his hearty support for the Dutch proposal, but he warned that the suggestion for majority decisions was premature (ECA Telegram Files, Lot W–130, Paris Repto).
3. Ante, p. 160.