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FOREIGN RELATIONS, 19 5 0, VOLUME I


-ance of the Communique.,6 The American negotiators felt that these
points, one of which called for a yearly contribution of five million
dollars toward the development of atomic energy in Belgium, were in
--many respects unacceptable and, in any case, required most careful
consideration; especially when viewed against the background of a
Belgian Memorandum dated February 14,'1 which, although super-
steded by the substance of the points mentioned above, was left with
,the Department for notation. The Memorandum was particularly
unfortunate in its tactless phrasing and the impression that it left
-that the Belgian Government doubted the since'rity of American
assurances concerning the remoteness of the commercial use of atomic
-energy.
   Since Assistant Secretary of State Perkins was then aboult to leave
 for London, it was decided that no reply to the Belgians should be
 made until he had had an opportunity of discussing with Ambassador
 -Murphy the points raised by the Belgian Foreign Minister.
   At their meeting, Mr. Murphy told Mr. Perkins that he felt there
 was no longer any urgency connected with the talks due to-the domes-
 -tic crisis in Belgium created by the question of -he King's return.'8
 He felt, however, that he could be of assistance in working out a
 reasonable attiItude on the part of the Belgians on the basis of the
 explanation of our views which Mr. Perkins had given him.
   The subsequent fall of the Eyskens Government and the inability
 on the part of the Belgians to form a new government have resulted
 in a temporary suspension of negotiaitions, although the Belgian For-
 Ieign Office has indicated its continuing interest in an eventual resump-
 tion of the talks.
 . It is thought thiat the Foreign Office has now been convinced of our
 good faith in the position we have taken in the negotiations. It would
Iseem, however, that the Belgians are less convinced of the practical
value of the assistance we have offered them in contributing toward
the establishment of a reasonable and soundly based research and
-developmental program in Belgium.
   Mr. Perkins will again be in London soon in connection with the
-meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Atlantic Pact countries. It is
-anticipated that Mr. Van Zeeland, or at least Baron de Gruben of the
Belgian Foreign Office, will also be in London for this occasion. Mr.
Perkins plans, therefore, to try to impress upon the Belgians the posi-
tive benefits we think will accrue to them from the assistance we have

  '6Note from the Belgian Ambassador to the Department of State, March 10,
not
-printed.
  17 Memorandum from the Belgian Embassy to the Department of State, Febru-
-ary 14, not printed.
  " For documentation on United States interest in the governmental
crisis in
IBelgium, see vol. aXi, pp. 1347 if.