241. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, September 24, 19571
SUBJECT
- European Cooperation and International Tensions
PARTICIPANTS
- The Secretary
- Foreign Minister Luns, The Netherlands Foreign Minister
- Ambassador van Roijen, The Netherlands Ambassador
- Mr. C. Burke Elbrick, Assistant Secretary, EUR
- Mr. H.G. Torbert, Jr., WE
The Foreign Minister opened the conversation by stating that he had to return in the near future to the Netherlands for the parliamentary debate on the ratification of the EURATOM and Common Market Treaties. He anticipated no difficulty in passage but there were certain rather tedious parliamentary forms which must be gone through. He expressed the gratitude of the six powers for the United States attitude on the Treaties, especially as some Europeans have been worried that the United States might oppose them. The Secretary acknowledged that some people in the United States have been worried about the possible effect of the treaty operation on United States exports. However, taking the long view, we feel that regardless of any temporary disadvantage to the United States the treaties give good prospect of increasing the standard of living in the treaty area and any raise in living standard in one area of the free world redounds to the benefit of that world as a whole. Mr. Luns characterized the treaties as more trade creating than trade diverting. He said the Dutch would make some sacrifices under the treaty provisions, however, they expected good results in the long run.
[Here follows discussion of international developments unrelated to European integration.]
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 840.1901/9–2457. Confidential. Drafted by Torbert.↩