You may have noticed the attached report from the Ottawa Journal where the Minister is said to have stated that he will be going to Europe for meetings later in the year.³⁵¹

2. You will recall that when I was in Paris in May I discussed with Mr. Léger both the desirability of a new Minister taking an early occasion to visit France and the arrangements which might be made for a Heads of Mission meeting in Europe.

3. A visit to France would seem to be entitled to the next priority. The Minister has met the United Kingdom Foreign Minister and Prime Minister here in Ottawa, and has also met the United States Secretary of State. He has yet, however, to make contact with the Foreign Minister of the other major Western power. It is, of course, true that while the Canadian Government has shown considerable interest in inviting General de Gaulle to come to Canada, the French Government have not taken any initiative in proposing that Mr. Green might go to France (although the French Ambassador may have said something to the Minister about a visit). This is understandable since French problems lie elsewhere but I think it could be taken for granted that the French would react quickly and enthusiastically to any indication that Mr. Green might be prepared to make a trip to France. Ideally, this should be arranged before the United Nations General Assembly in order that Mr. Green and M. Couve de Murville should not be strangers when they meet there. The French, as you know, have a poor record for cooperation at the United Nations and since there is every likelihood that this year more than ever they will be expecting support from us on the Algerian question, it would be useful if Mr. Green had had an opportunity to meet the French Foreign Minister. The international timetable unfortunately seems to make this almost impossible, particularly if there is to be a Summit Meeting in September, although if this were preceded by a ministerial meeting by the NATO Council, there would be the occasion for a visit to France. On the other hand, it was Mr. Léger's view, with which I entirely agreed, that it would be preferable for the Minister's visit to France to be unconnected with a NATO meeting but to be made for the specific purpose of meeting the French.

4. Mr. Léger made the same point in regard to a Heads of Mission meeting arguing that it would be more productive if it were not held on the eve of a NATO Ministerial Council meeting which tended to attract too much attention to NATO problems and thus distract from the essential purpose of the meeting.

5. If, therefore, the Minister found it possible to consider undertaking a visit to France, a Heads of Mission meeting might be arranged at that time. It would seem to be particularly desirable to bring him together with the Heads of our European (and Middle Eastern) posts. A combined visit of this kind could be fitted in to a week.

6. Could I please have your preliminary reactions to these ideas.

HENRY F. DAVIS

³⁵¹Voir/See "Green Plans First Trip to Europe in 45 Years," Ottawa Journal, July 15, 1959, p.8.