740.5/8–3151
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Deputy Under Secretary of State (Matthews)
Following his return from an extended vacation in Europe, Ambassador van Roijen called on me this afternoon at his request. He left with me the attached memorandum1 containing the views of the Dutch Government on the European Defense Force problem and its relationship to the North Atlantic Treaty. He stressed orally that his government was still far from convinced that the EDF concept is a practical one or that it can be brought into being without extended delays. However, the Dutch are willing to give it a try if the proposals worked out at Paris can be modified in several respects designed primarily to simplify the EDF structure and to avoid the relinquishment of certain sovereign powers in the degree contemplated. Specifically, he said his Prime Minister felt strongly that rather than a single European defense minister with extended powers the latter should be vested in a three or five man executive board in turn responsible to a Council of Ministers on which should be represented all the member states. A second problem which worries the Dutch is the extent of budgetary control turned over to the EDF organization which he said would mean an abdication of its authority by the Dutch Parliament of any control over what might amount to 30% or 40% of defense expenditures.
Basically, however, his government feared that the proposal merely meant a strong revival of French hegemony over continental European problems and a corresponding dilution of the NAT concept. His government felt that everything should be done to build up the North Atlantic community idea which is in keeping with Dutch economic and political traditions rather than the narrower continental concept. He did not wish to convey the impression that his government was against a closer integration of Europe, but it felt this was something that must [Page 874] evolve slowly and in the right direction and his government had doubts that the French plan was soundly based.2
I explained to the Ambassador our reasons for coming to the conclusion that the EDF concept is both sound and practicable and offers the best prospect of getting ahead with German contribution to European defense. I talked along the lines of the Secretary’s memorandum to the President of July 303 and read excerpts therefrom without, however, identifying the document. I told the Ambassador we would, of course, give careful study to the proposal outlined in his memorandum, copies of which he indicated had likewise been given to the French and British and possibly others. He asked that a reply be given him.
Turning to general conditions, van Roijen said he found quite a strong feeling in Holland that the Americans are trying to push the country too fast in defense matters and a lack of the sense of urgency which exists over here. He said that contemplated defense expenditures will mean postponement of the government’s much needed housing program and that people are saying “the Americans took Indonesia away from us and now they are taking our houses”. I said I hoped some of these people would stop to recall that America had likewise made substantial contributions to the Netherlands, both militarily and financially, which he readily acknowledged. I said I thought the Dutch should realize that the defense of Holland perhaps concerned them as much as the United States. This was true, he said, but repeated that the Dutch have less belief that the danger is imminent and therefore favor a slower and less dislocating military buildup.
- The 12-page Netherlands memorandum of August 31 under reference here is not printed (740.5/8–3151). It apparently was also delivered to the United Kingdom, French, and Italian Governments. Regarding the memorandum, see also telegram 1858, October 5, to London, p. 885.↩
- In a conversation reported upon by Spofford in his telegram Depto 246, August 22, from London, not printed, Netherlands NATO Deputy Representative Starkenborgh reviewed his government’s attitude toward a European Defense Community in much the same terms as expressed by Ambassador van Roijen (740.5/8–2251). Telegram 277, September 1, to The Hague, not printed, instructed the Embassy to utilize every opportunity to urge on key Netherlands officials the utmost importance which the Department of State attached to the creation of an effective European Defense Community and suggested that the Embassy underline General Eisenhower’s support for the EDC and the impetus that such support gave in transforming the concept into practicality (740.5/9–151).↩
- Ante, p. 849.↩