Office of the Historian

150. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Belgium1

Washington, January 26, 1956—5:36 p.m.

854. Re Brussels 655.2 For your information and guidance following represents position U.S. will take on European integration, EURATOM and common market in forthcoming talks with Prime Minister Eden:

1.
We welcome strong support UK has been giving to closer international cooperation among countries of Europe and Atlantic Community in NATO and OEEC framework. We do same.
2.
But merely cooperative arrangements are not enough to meet three most serious problems in Europe:
a.
Problem of tying Germany organically into Western Community so as to diminish danger that over time a resurgent German nationalism might trade neutrality for reunification with view seizing controlling position between East and West.
b.
The weakness of France and need to provide positive alternative to neutralism and “defeatism” in that country.
c.
The solidifying of new relationship between France and Germany which has been developing since 1950 through integration movement.
3.
Therefore we are concerned about British coolness to six-country integration. We believe this movement is important because it is best hope for solving three foregoing problems. Its success would justify some sacrifice of traditional U.S. and U.K. interests to achieve it.
4.
Six-country supranational EURATOM would be a powerful means of binding Germany to West and may be most feasible means for achieving effective control over weapons-quality material. If genuinely supranational, EURATOM program would be compatible with national cooperation in OEEC.
5.
United States does not attach to common market proposals same immediate security and political significance as we do to EURATOM. However we believe that a common market which results in a general reduction of international trade barriers could contribute constructively to European integration. We therefore look forward with interest to concrete six-country proposals and would welcome staff talks this subject.

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 840.1901/1–2456. Secret. Drafted by Stanley M. Cleveland of RA and Barnett; approved by Barnett. Also sent to London, Paris, Bonn, The Hague, Luxembourg, and Rome; passed to USRO and the CSC Mission.↩
  2. In telegram 655, January 24, the Embassy reported that a high-ranking Belgian official working on the integration problem recently revealed that he had mixed feelings regarding Monnet’s action committee. He suggested that a situation might arise in which the French might say that no parliamentary majority existed for the Common Market, only for EURATOM. (Ibid.)↩