The case of Belgium shows that in the area of dtente, a small country will have more influence if it can cooperate with other small countries. The creation of the Benelux in 1944 and the Belgo-Polish dialogue of the 1960s, which paved the way for the 'Reykjavik signal', are clear examples of this. Moreover, in order to have even a slight influence on the international scene, the personality of the Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister played a key role. Belgium's geographical situation was also an important factor. Finally, a small country, if it wishes to take initiatives, must have the support of larger countries. Without the ongoing support of the United States, Pierre Harmel would have been unable to persuade the Alliance to adopt his report.