Office of the Historian

130. Memorandum From the Secretary of State to the Under Secretary of State (Hoover)1

Washington, November 22, 1955.

You will recall that at the NSC meeting yesterday and as set out in the “Record of Actions”, the President spoke of strengthening and expanding into other areas the concepts of NATO, the Brussels Pact and the Coal and Steel Community.2

At the present time, as I understand it, a considerable controversy is developing over the future of atomic energy for peaceful uses in Europe. There is one school of thought which wants to develop this [Page 350] through a European institution comparable to the Coal and Steel Community. There are others who want to deal with it on a national governmental basis, and some who want to deal with it on a private basis.

I have the impression that there exists no clear top policy guidance for those who are working on this matter, both in the Department and in the AEC.

I think we should reach a decision on which the President should be consulted and then that we should be sure that that is carried out.

I wonder whether you can bring the threads together so that we know where we are. I believe that the U.S.-Belgian agreement is rather far advanced, but also I think the Belgian Government, or at least Spaak, would like to merge that into a European project.3

  1. Source: Department of State, Atomic Energy Files: Lot 57 D 688, Regional Program. Top Secret.↩
  2. See the editorial note, supra.↩
  3. At the Secretary of State’s Staff Meeting of November 23, Dulles stated that he believed there was a need for clear policy guidance on the peaceful development of atomic energy, particularly with regard to promoting European integration. He mentioned his memorandum of November 22 to Hoover, and, in the subsequent discussion, Hoover requested that Merchant take the lead in looking into this problem and making recommendations if necessary. (Notes of Secretary’s Staff Meeting; Department of State, Secretary’s Staff Meetings: Lot 63 D 75) Robert G. Barnes, Director of the Executive Secretariat (S/S), informed Merchant of this discussion in a memorandum of November 23, and attached a copy of Dulles’ memorandum to Hoover. (Ibid., Atomic Energy Files: Lot 57 D 588, NATO)↩