The conservative government of Anthony Eden and problems of European security in 1955

The author shows the contradictions within the bloc of Western countries, especially between France and Germany, on the problems of security. The article also analyzes the process of alignment of the foreign policy priorities by the Cabinet of Anthony Eden, identifying traits of differences and continuity with the foreign policy office of Winston Churchill. Particular attention is paid to the initiatives of British diplomacy on registration of a new security system at the Geneva Conference in 1955, become a symbol of hope for detente. The author points out the reasons for the failure of the diplomatic attempts of USSR and western countries on the easing of international tension and shows the importance of the conference and the follow-up meeting of foreign ministers in Geneva for the development of further dialogue to each other. Trends in international detente, marked by the death of Stalin in March 1953, did not lead to genuine relaxation of international tension. In 1955, the issue was resolved through the signing of the Austrian State Treaty and restoration of Austria as a sovereign state on the principles of neutrality. In 1955-1956, the Saar question will be resolved and the disputed territory of the Federal Republic of Germany will depart. The Government of Anthony Eden continued to proceed from negative assessments of the new Soviet leadership in the face of N. A. Bulganin and N. S. Khruschev. The Geneva summit and the Geneva Conference of Foreign Ministers did not give practical results on the resolving the German question and the parties could not agree on the organization of a new system of European security. The Cabinet of Anthony Eden showed the continuity with the course of the Labour Party and the Conservatives on the supranational integration by the Six after World War II. Britain refused to participate fully in the work of the Preparatory Committee, set up after the Messina Conference in 1955 to develop a proposal to establish the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community. At the same time, within the British government there were different views on the participation of Britain in the European integration. For example, the Foreign Minister, Harold Macmillan took a pro-European orientation.