396.1 GE/3–1254
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Key)1
Subject:
- Netherlands Acceptance of Invitation to Korean Political Conference
Participants:
- Mr. J. G. de Beus—Netherlands Minister
- Mr. David McK. Key—UNA
- Mr. Ward Allen—EUR
- Mr. David H. Popper—UNP
Mr. de Beus came in to present the attached note2 accepting on behalf of the Netherlands Government the invitation to the Korean Political Conference. He stated that a public announcement to this effect would be made at 4:00 p.m. today in The Hague.
In response to queries from Mr. de Beus, I indicated that we would not get our consultations with other governments fully in train on the Korean question until we had responses to all of the invitations. I also indicated that we expected the French, generally speaking, to take the lead on Indochina.
Mr. de Beus told us his Ambassador had already informed FE that the Soviet Ambassador3 had told the Dutch Ambassador4 here that the Communists intend to suggest India, Indonesia, Burma and Thailand as “other interested states” for inclusion in the Indochina phase of the Conference. The Soviet Ambassador apparently also stated that the Communists would not initially propose that Ho Chi Minh attend [Page 456] but would wait for our side to propose the Associated States after which they would propose Ho Chi Minh as a bargaining counter.