Post by Diarist on Sept 20, 2016 12:22:26 GMT 1
Just over an hour later I was talking to Prime Minister Paul van Zeeland in his office. "How was your tour this morning?"
"Very informative, thank you. I would like General van Overstraeten to visit TRADOC in England for a month. He can then pass on the information to his colleagues when he returns. Do you foresee any problems, Prime Minister?"
"That shouldn't be a problem. Let me talk with Albert Devèze." He made a telephone call, asked when would be convenient and I replied that he can start next week.
When he put down the phone I asked if he always works on Saturday.
"Being Prime Minister is a full-time job. I try to clean up my desk so that it isn't full on a Monday morning."
"We didn't discuss the economy yesterday evening. I forgot all about it. We are greatly expanding our navy next year so if you have any spare capacity we would love to import iron ore from you. In return we could export fighter aircraft to Belgium. We have a new fast monoplane which will be undergoing trials soon. It is an excellent aircraft, the best in the world at the moment, and it won't be obsolete in a few years."
"I'm sure something can be arranged but I need to consult my colleagues first. I don't know first hand if we free capacity."
"Your French counterpart Daladier is visiting London next month. Could you possibly arrange to visit at the same time? We could have an informal Locarno summit to coordinate our three nations' options. At the moment in Belgium only the King, you and Albert Devèze know of our intentions. We need to keep it that way, Sir."
"I agree with you. It is dangerous information in the wrong hands."
"I'm glad we share that opinion, Sir. Anything else because my wife is outside. I can't keep my Commander-in-Chief waiting too long."
"No. We've covered everything."
"Then thank you for your support, Sir and I look forward to seeing you in London soon. I won't be back from my tour until mid-December so don't travel too early."
Back in the corridor I said that we don't need to go to the Ministry of Defence. "Pack your bags because you'll travelling to England next week. Do you have a colleague in Holland who thinks like you? If so I want to invite him to TRADOC too."
Now it's back to the Royal Residence.
"Very informative, thank you. I would like General van Overstraeten to visit TRADOC in England for a month. He can then pass on the information to his colleagues when he returns. Do you foresee any problems, Prime Minister?"
"That shouldn't be a problem. Let me talk with Albert Devèze." He made a telephone call, asked when would be convenient and I replied that he can start next week.
When he put down the phone I asked if he always works on Saturday.
"Being Prime Minister is a full-time job. I try to clean up my desk so that it isn't full on a Monday morning."
"We didn't discuss the economy yesterday evening. I forgot all about it. We are greatly expanding our navy next year so if you have any spare capacity we would love to import iron ore from you. In return we could export fighter aircraft to Belgium. We have a new fast monoplane which will be undergoing trials soon. It is an excellent aircraft, the best in the world at the moment, and it won't be obsolete in a few years."
"I'm sure something can be arranged but I need to consult my colleagues first. I don't know first hand if we free capacity."
"Your French counterpart Daladier is visiting London next month. Could you possibly arrange to visit at the same time? We could have an informal Locarno summit to coordinate our three nations' options. At the moment in Belgium only the King, you and Albert Devèze know of our intentions. We need to keep it that way, Sir."
"I agree with you. It is dangerous information in the wrong hands."
"I'm glad we share that opinion, Sir. Anything else because my wife is outside. I can't keep my Commander-in-Chief waiting too long."
"No. We've covered everything."
"Then thank you for your support, Sir and I look forward to seeing you in London soon. I won't be back from my tour until mid-December so don't travel too early."
Back in the corridor I said that we don't need to go to the Ministry of Defence. "Pack your bags because you'll travelling to England next week. Do you have a colleague in Holland who thinks like you? If so I want to invite him to TRADOC too."
Now it's back to the Royal Residence.