Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of the Netherlands Dr. S. Herman van Roijen, and George Perkins

I: 468 3361 DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation corf // DATE: to January 10, 1952 RECORDS SUBJECT: BERVICE" EDC PARTICIPANTS: Dr. van Roijen, Ambassador of the Netherlands The Secretary Mr. G. W. Perkins, Assistant Secretary, EUR COPIES TO: S/S G GER EUR RA WE u. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 I told the Ambassador that I wished to talk to him a little bit about the EDC. I wanted to point out that if there was a feeling that the creation of the EDC lessened US interest, that this was not true. In fact, quite the reverse was true. This had been made clear in the Great Debate last summer and in our legislative history that the general feelings of the American people were that they wished to see Europa pulled together. Perhaps we over- simplified the problem but we felt deeply on the matter. It may be that European military goals will have to be reduced. If so, the creation of the EDC would be a strong compensating factor. I stressed that the US had NATO as a cornerstone of its foreign policy. Tle really are in a time of crisis. The time factor is most importent. In the early weeks of 1952 we must either move forward or lose our momentum. Getting Germany aligned with the West rests largely on personalities. We have a rare opportunity with Adenauer and Schuman both in office. I indicated that I expected that Schuman would be able to continue in a re- organized French government. I feared that opinion in lurope will turn unless speed were made. At the Paris meeting of the EDC Ministers, France, Germany and Italy had been for close ties, whereas the Benelux countries had been DECLASSIFIED E. Ó. 11632, Sec. 3(E) and S(D) or (T) Dept. of State letter, By NLT- His NARS Date 7.1776 THATION