Office of the Historian

289. Memorandum of Conversation0

Washington, October 10, 1963, 10:30 a.m.

SUBJECT

  • Kennedy Round

PARTICIPANTS

  • U.S.
    • The Under Secretary
    • J. Robert Schaetzel, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs
    • Joseph A. Greenwald, E/OT
    • Frazier Meade, EUR/BNA
  • UK
    • Sir Richard Powell, Permanent Secretary, UK Board of Trade
    • John E. Chadwick, Commercial Minister, British Embassy

Replying to Sir Richard Powell’s query about the prospects for the Kennedy Round, Mr. Ball said he was reasonably optimistic. Sir Richard said the British thought the clouds looked very ominous from France, particularly on the question of disparities. The French would attempt to avoid being seen as wreckers of the Kennedy Round but they would not help it towards a successful conclusion; they would probably be content to see it fail. Mr. Ball said he had found Couve de Murville somewhat—if vaguely—encouraging on the Kennedy Round prospects when he talked to him a few days ago. However there was always the possibility of a pronouncement from the Elysee. When Sir Richard asked what the French attitude was towards agriculture, Mr. Ball said de Murville had indicated he thought some progress could be made at least on dairy products, with the more difficult problems to be resolved later.

Sir Richard asked how important the U.S. considered the timing of the Kennedy Round. He personally thought the U.S. slowness in submitting its list of exceptions might delay the Kennedy Round until autumn, 1964. Mr. Ball replied that the U.S. did not feel bound to a schedule and Mr. Schaetzel said the U.S. wanted to keep moving but not to press ahead too fast. As Mr. Ball said, the French had asked us not to push too hard.

  1. Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330. Confidential. Drafted by Meade and approved in U on October 15. The meeting was held in Ball’s office. The source text is labeled “3 of 3 parts.”↩