855a.6359/5–1447: Telegram
The Ambassador in Belgium (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
777. For Under Secretary Acheson from Kirk. (Translation of verbatim text.)1
Memorandum. I. I am still concerned with question of eventual publicity to be given agreement of September 1944. Parliamentary questions about Congo uranium are relatively frequent and now that Communists are in opposition they may well become more specific. I wonder if interested Governments do not exaggerate secret aspect of agreement. Everybody knows that Congo uranium is sold to US and UK and everybody knows our entire production is sold to them. Sole important thing which remains in doubt is duration of agreement. That part of public opinion which is interested in matter guesses there is secret accord and its imagination has free reign. It probably believes that secrets are much more complicated than they are and in my opinion present mystery is likely in long run to do much more harm than good. I wonder if there are serious objections to full revelation of text of agreement? (Embassy’s telegram 776, May 14, 5 p.m.).
II. I believe time has come to give specific interpretation to paragraph 9–A of agreement and to seek formula for concrete realization of undertakings contained therein. I recall that agreement envisages: “In case Governments of US and UK decide to use ore obtained in accordance with agreement as source of energy for commercial purposes these Governments will permit Belgian Government to participate in such utilization under equitable conditions.” According to reports reaching Belgium it certainly seems that industrial utilization of atomic energy is being very seriously considered in US and UK and that efforts toward its realization are already under way. I should like to know as soon as possible the form in which those two Governments contemplate giving effect to their promises. Matter is obviously delicate and complicated. That is why I believe it should be studied without delay. Finally, I recall that this provision of agreement is of paramount importance for Belgium.
- In telegram 776, May 14, 5 p.m., Ambassador Kirk stated that Spaak had presented him with the memorandum on atomic energy matters which he had promised; the text would be transmitted in the immediately following telegram (855a.6359/5–1447).↩