Letter from Frederick H. Boland to Seán Murphy (Paris)
(Secret)

I am directed by the Minister to send you herewith the French version¹ of the reply which the Government propose to make to an informal démarche made recently by the American Minister seeking an indication of the Government's attitude towards participation in the proposed North Atlantic Security Pact.

The Minister intends to hand this reply to the American Minister in a day or two. When this has been done, you will be instructed by telegram to give a copy of the reply, for his information, to the French Foreign Minister, France being one of the seven countries on whose behalf the United States Government made the informal démarche to us. No action should be taken in connection with the enclosed text until the telegraphic instructions referred to are received, and, in the meantime, it should be treated as being strictly confidential.

The point of view explained in the enclosed document will probably be no surprise to the French Government. It is in line with public statements already made by our Minister and the Taoiseach. In handing the document to the Foreign Minister, however, you should specifically emphasise the following points:-

• The attitude explained in the Aide-Mémoire is not merely a matter of the policy of the present Government. No Irish Government, whatever its political views, is likely to take any different stand as long as Partition lasts.
• The Government's attitude does not imply any criticism of, or lack of sympathy with, the objects of the proposed Atlantic Pact. The aims of the Pact are entirely in line with the views of the Irish Government, but, for the reasons explained, it is impossible for Ireland, as long as Partition lasts, to participate in a joint security treaty with the State responsible for the unnatural division of this country.
• The Irish Government firmly believes that the negotiation of the Atlantic Pact provides a particularly favourable opportunity, which may not recur, for a joint effort by all the Powers interested in the security and political stability of the Atlantic area to tackle the problem of Partition and thereby to remove a serious threat to the harmony and cohesion of the North Atlantic area as a whole. An approach to the problem made in the context of the North Atlantic Pact would obviously help to minimise the internal political difficulties which any effort to solve Partition may present from the point of view of the British Government.
• The views expressed in the Aide-Mémoire relate only to the proposed North Atlantic Pact. They have no reference whatever to the proposed Council of Europe which, according to the official announcement, will not be concerned with defence or military measures. The Irish Government welcome the announced intention of setting up a Council of Europe and are prepared to consider Ireland's participation in it from a sympathetic and positive point of view.

We will be glad to have a telegraphic report on your interview with the Foreign Minister as soon as it has taken place.

If you consider it desirable or necessary to make any changes in the enclosed text in respect of orthography, grammar, etc., please agree the proposed changes with Mr. Fay and inform the Department of them.

I am enclosing herewith, for your information, the English text of the Aide-Mémoire which the Minister proposes to hand to the American Minister here.