Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Western European Security and Integration, Volume IV

165. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, April 2, 1956¹

Washington, April 2, 1956

PARTICIPANTS

• Secretary Dulles
• Belgian Ambassador
• Mr. Carlier, Counselor of Embassy, Belgian Embassy
• Mr. Smith, S/AE

The Belgian Ambassador indicated that he had come in on instructions from Mr. Spaak to express Spaak’s concern about the prejudicial impact of prospective United States bilaterals in West Europe.² He also pointed out Mr. Spaak’s concern that U.S. bilaterals with other countries would shortly remove the advantageous position which Belgium now occupies by virtue of its supplies of uranium to the U.S. and the U.K. since 1944.

The Secretary pointed out that the U.S. would do anything within reason to indicate its support for an integrated European atomic energy effort. However, the U.S. was limited by the absence of any firm Euratom proposal. The Belgian Ambassador expressed the “preoccupation” which Mr. Spaak had over the prospect of a U.S.-German bilateral. The Secretary pointed out that negotiations had not yet started with the Germans for nuclear power reactor information or material and he expressed doubts that any such negotiation would be speeded up before the 6 nations had a good chance to come up with a firm joint proposal. He also pointed out that Chancellor Adenauer and Foreign Minister von Brentano were strong advocates of a community approach to atomic energy development in Europe.

The Secretary said that the U.S. already had a bilateral arrangement with Belgium and had been negotiating a long time with France for an Agreement for Cooperation. He pointed out that it would not be possible for the United States to suspend its present bilateral negotiations and he stressed the importance of speeding up the Euratom planning process. The Secretary assured Silvercruys that the U.S. would be able to cooperate more extensively and under less restrictive conditions with a 6-nation community than with any individual member of the group.

Baron Silvercruys thanked the Secretary very much for these assurances and indicated that they would go far to meet Mr. Spaak’s anxiety.

1. Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199. Confidential. Drafted by Smith.
2. In a memorandum of March 30, Merchant informed Dulles that Baron Silvercruys, the Belgian Ambassador, had requested an interview with the Secretary as soon as possible to discuss certain aspects of EURATOM. (Ibid., Central Files, 840.1901/3–3056)