Draft Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, the Ambassador of Belgium, and the Foreign Minister of Belgium

249 DRAPT MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION conf 269 September 16, 1949 SUBJECT: European Economic Coordination and Integration PARTICIPANTS: Secretary Acheson Belgian Foreign Minister Van Zeeland The Belgian Ambassador ARCHIVES 'NATIONAL RECORDS AMD MacArthur, WE iffer COPIES TOS s/s, G, E, EUR, OFD, ITP, U/PAA, S/P, S/A, H2 Brussels, Paris, The Hague, Rome, Londone After the usual exchange of amenities, Foreign Minister Van Zeeland opened the conversation by stating that he was glad to have the opportunity of talking over several questions with mea He wished first to touch upon the question of European Economic coordination and integration which he felt was of tital importance to the maintenance of a democratic Europe. He said that over the course of the past year he had had conversations with Ambassador Harriman, Ambassador Kirk, Mr. Millard, and other American officials, and he had been very glad to note that Belgian and American views on the question of European integration appeared exactly parallel. Mr. Van Zeeland said that in his triple role as Belgian Foreign Minister Temporary Chairman of OBEC , and a member of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, he would do his utmost to preas forward to obtain greater acceptance by the Westorn European countries of the views shared by the United States and Belgium, particularly the necessity for liberalizing exchange controls and removing restrictions on and barriers to trade. He mentioned in this connection dis- cussions which had been held between the Benelux Union, France, and Italy and said that he was very glad that Belgium's viows on the possibility of the above countries taking some effective action coincided with his understanding of our point of view. He believed strongly that European economic integration was a matber of urgency and believed that the question should be brought up for serious discussion in a series or meetings which will occur in Europe in late October and early November when meetings of the OEEC, the Council of Europe, and the Brussols Pact Ministers are scheduled to occur. He made passing reference to the efforts of the Council of Europe in the direction of European political and economic integration and said that on the whole the recent Strasbourg meeting had turned out much more successfully than he had anticipated. Despite a number of differences of opinion evident there he felt that the Strasbourg mesting had demonstrated a surprising degree of European solidarity. Mr. Van Zeeland concluded by asking for my conment on the foregoing DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (B) I replied Dept. of State letter, 13:33 By NLT- HC NARS Date 4.27.76