Office of the Historian

209. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, January 11, 1957, 4:30 p.m.1

Washington, January 11, 1957, 4:30 p.m.

SUBJECT

  • The Common Market

PARTICIPANTS

  • US Side
    • The Secretary of State
    • Assistant Secretary, C. McCardle
    • Assistant Secretary, Francis Wilcox
    • Acting, Assistant Secretary, C. Burke Elbrick
    • Mr. William R. Tyler, WE
  • French Side
    • Mr. C. Pineau, French Foreign Minister
    • Mr. H. Alphand, French Ambassador
    • Mr. C. Lucet, French Minister
    • Mr. F. de Laboulaye, Counselor French Embassy
    • Mr. J. Beliard, Press Officer, French Foreign Office

Mr. Pineau said that his Government hoped to obtain a favorable vote in the French Assembly within the next few days, authorizing it to sign the treaty for a common market. He said that the development of a common market may be facilitated by the selection of Mr. Macmillan as U.K. Foreign Minister, since he was “the most European member of the Conservative Party” and had shown himself to be a definite supporter of European unity. The Secretary said that it would be of tremendous importance for the future of Europe if the treaties on EURATOM and the common market could be signed and ratified. He agreed with what Mr. Pineau had said about Mr. Macmillan, who had also spoken to the Secretary while in Paris about his support for the idea of European unity.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 840.05/1–1157. Secret. Drafted by Tyler. The conversation took place in the Secretary’s office.↩