FOREIGN RELATIONS, 19 5 0, VOLUME I


my part). In any event, I believe that Sengier will do his utmost to
this end.
   6. I feel, however, Sengier would be relieved if rise in price satis-
 factory to Van Zeeland could be arranged since I assume it is on this
 point which he fears he is open to criticism from Van Zeeland (as
 indicated by last paragraph of his letter January 5 reading "the ques-
 tion of price will remain permanent difficulty. One could discuss for
 years to come what is 'fair' price to be paid for such rare valuable
 material. My attitude has always been (see my letter of August 16 to
 Mr. Wilson 19) that we should get a price not lower than price paid
 to other suppliers for contracts involving more or less comparable
 top wages. For instance, Canada and possibly South Africa.")
   7. I have no knowledge of these price differentials, but assuming
 they are significant, I don't doubt Belgian delegation will use this
 for bargaining and, hence, inclusion of point four in agenda.20
   8. Whether Sengier would like increase in price in interests of his
 company-and profit motive is rarely absent from Belgian thinking-
 I do not know, but when he returned from Washington in January
 of 1949, he expressed himself as entirely satisfied with the new price.
 Since then, however, he has learned we are making presumably ex-
 tensive arrangements for obtaining uranium from South African gold
 tailings presumably at far higher cost and he may feel he is pervious
 to charge of not having obtained enough from us, possibly combined
 with mixed feelings at prospect of ceasing to play principal role as
 supplier of uranium. These feelings are not easy to define and may
 spring from hurt vanity since I understand we feel he has shown most
 understanding and cooperative attitude, and I know he has taken
 pride and pleasure in feeling he was playing important role in co-
 operating in such paramount factor in our defense and that of western
 Europe.

 19 Sengier's letter to Wilson, August16, 1949, is not printed.
 2 The agenda proposed to the Department of State by the Belgian Embassy
 on December 2, 1949, read in agreed translation as follows:
 "1. Determination of the methods whereby Belgium may benefit from the
 progress made in the industrial utilization of atomic energy, as such progress
is
 achieved.
 "2. Determination of the means of associating Belgium actively in scientific
 and technical research to the extent which security and essential military
secrets
permit.
  "3. Association of Belgium in all negotiations having to do with the
use and
distribution of the ore among ithe contracting parties of the 1944 agreement.
  "4. Increase of the unit price stipulated in the contract, the surplus
being
deposited into a Belgian public interest fund.
  "5. Formulation of a joint declaration on the results of the negotiations."
(Department of State Atomic Energy Piles)


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