350/2–2454
Memorandum of Conversation, by Curtis C. Strong of the Office of Dependent Area Affairs
- Subject:
- Belgian Views on Statements by the U.S. Representative in The Trusteeship Council
- Participants:
- Baron Silvercruys, Ambassador of Belgium
- Mr. Charles Muller, Second Secretary, Belgian Embassy
- Mr. Key, Assistant Secretary, United Nations Affairs
- Mr. Robert R. Robbins, Acting Director, UND
- Mr. Curtis C. Strong, UND
- Mr. Ward Allen, EUR
Ambassador Silvercruys said that he wished to speak in a friendly but frank manner as he had in the past regarding certain aspects of the work of the Trusteeship Council. In particular, his Government as well as the Belgian Mission to the United Nations in New York and he himself had been disturbed by the tenor of the statements made thus far by the United States Representative in the Trusteeship Council. It was true these related to British Cameroons, French Cameroons and British Togoland but they contained phrases which could be interpreted as having general application to colonial areas in Africa and which could have nefarious consequences for those areas. Speaking with considerable seriousness and intensity, the Ambassador said that the Belgians were not surprised when such statements were made by the representatives of certain states but that it came as a real shock when statements of this sort were made by the representative of a friendly power with whom Belgium shared so many interests and responsibilities of vital importance to the security of the free world. Baron Silvercruys went on to say that although the general ideals expressed in these statements were lofty ones to which we would all adhere, certain phrases could be taken out of the context by interested parties and give encouragement to subversive elements in dependent areas in Africa. He was sure that we both desired progress in Central Africa to be carried out without upsetting the stability of this important area.
He read from Trusteeship Council verbatim records such phrases as “the Colonial days of these regions are coming to an end with the rapid approach of full self-government” (T/PV.488); “French judgment with respect to the rate of progress… is destined to become of greater and greater importance not only in the Trust Territory but throughout Africa” (T/PV.493); and “we will soon see a very practical demonstration of African self-determination in action, and it [Page 1362] seems to us that it deserves enthusiastic support” (T/PV.498). He and other Belgian officials had been favorably impressed by Assistant Seccretary Byroade’s “sober” statement of U.S. policy on African problems. They found it impossible to reconcile Mr. Sears’ statements with that general policy statement.
Ambassador Silvercruys stressed the community of interest of our two countries, making particular reference to NATO. He noted the importance of the Belgian Congo in our common defense arrangements. He pointed out that it was inconsistent, while working for stability in western Europe, to give encouragement to instability in the dependent territories in Africa when the stability of the two areas was so closely interrelated. He referred to the growing importance of Belgian military installations in the eastern Congo and said that in the past several years some “subversive” activities have begun to be noted in the Congo. It was no coincidence, he felt, that only after the British high command for African defense had been shifted to Nairobi, had the Mau Mau movement become active in Kenya.
The Ambassador hoped that the Department would find it possible to convey to the United States Representative on the Trusteeship Council the serious concern felt by the Belgian Government as to the unsettling consequences in Africa of the statements he had been making in the Council, particularly if the present trend of these statements continues. They were, of course, particularly concerned over the possibility that he might speak along similar lines with regard to Ruanda–Urundi.
Assistant Secretary Key expressed his appreciation for this frank expression of the Belgian viewpoint, which he said was quite understandable. He said that he had been in touch with the United States Representative on the Trusteeship Council, Mr. Mason Sears, earlier today on this matter and that Mr. Sears had assured him that the statements which he had made applied only to the Trust Territories in West Africa, that he was fully aware that the territories in Central and East Africa had not reached a similar stage of development and that he had no intention of making similar statements with regard to the latter territories. Mr. Sears had, in fact, been very favorably impressed by the record of Belgium in Ruanda–Urundi and his statement on that Territory would give every credit to the splendid achievements of the Belgian administration.
If Ambassador Silvercruys considered that it would be useful, he would be glad to suggest that Mr. Sears consult with the Belgian representative on the Trusteeship Council, Mr. Ryckmans, and give him similar assurances. Ambassador Silvercruys replied that he thought such consultation would be very useful and in fact he felt that continuing and close consultation between the two delegations was always desirable.