253. Memorandum of Conversation0
SEGNI VISIT
SUBJECT
- Consultation Within European Community
[Here follows the same list of participants as Document 252.]
Foreign Minister Pella, referring to the discussion on October 1,1 said he would like to underline certain points with respect to political [Page 563] consultation within the Community of Six. He said that the consultation of the Six would in no way interfere with NATO consultations. The consultations of the Six was a form of European cohesion without substituting in any way for NATO solidarity or consultation. He said that it would be in this spirit that the Six Foreign Ministers would exchange some ideas at their Brussels meeting of October 13 and 14, after considering Common Market problems.
The Secretary said that there was concern on our part that these consultations within the Six might lead to the creation of an organization within an organization. We assumed that the political consultations of the Six would be limited to considering economic consequences of Common Market developments. Mr. Pella replied that this would be a matter of constant concern to him and that he could say that these consultations were simply the case of six friends discussing their problems together. There was absolutely no intention of forming a group within the NATO framework.
- Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1490. Secret. Drafted by Stabler and approved by M and S on October 26. See also Documents 252 and 254–258.↩
- See Documents 248–250.↩