740.5/5–1252: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Canada 1
285. Following para excerpted from Draper’s report2 of conversation with Stikker at the Hague re outstanding EDC problems.
“Stikker reiterated likely course of action by Dutch re reservation concerning settlement question Ger contribution. In reply my question he said Dutch not concerned about poss their underwriting Ger rearmament in event Ger contrib shld be insufficient to cover cost as well as that of support allied forces but rather that total might not be sufficient to permit Brit with their fon exchange problem to continue maintaining existing UK forces in Ger if their share support costs appreciably reduced. In other words he was concerned there shld in fact be a net addition to strength of Eur forces and not merely substitution Ger unit for Brit. He said he had talked question over with Pearson who appeared favorable to proposal whereby Canada wld furnish econ aid to UK to make up for poss reduction support costs. Such solution according to Pearson might well be favorably received by Canad Parl which Stikker (sic) wld prefer extending econ aid to indef maintenance Canad troops in Ger. I expressed view that problem wld take care of itself, and Stikker feels that this might well be case.”
Dept wld appreciate Emb’s comments on views attributed by Stikker to Pearson as Dept has had no intimation (a) Canada giving any consideration to revising position re econ aid taken fol TCC recommendation or (b) that any feeling existed Canad troops shld be recalled from Eur near future. Dept assumes you wld agree neither point shld be raised with Canads this time.3
- Drafted by Raynor of BNA. Repeated to Paris for Draper and to The Hague.↩
- Not found in Department of State files.↩
- In telegram 1221 from The Hague, May 15, Ambassador Chapin reported inter alia that the Dutch Cabinet had given Stikker authorization to sign the EDC Treaty on the assumption that agreement would be reached either before or during the EDC Ministerial talks on issues still outstanding. In advising American officials of this decision, Hendrik Boon, Secretary General of the Netherlands Foreign Ministry, said that in addition to the points of concern mentioned by Stikker to Draper, a new difficulty had arisen with respect to pension provisions. However, Boon felt certain that this issue could also be resolved in the Ministerial talks and “Therefore as far as Dutch concerned there was ‘plain sailing’ ahead as regards signature EDC” (740.5/5–1552).↩