740.00119 Council/5–3048: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
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2361. I hope that the last remaining substantive question, namely, method by which members of the Constituent Assembly will be elected will be resolved tomorrow afternoon and that the talks on Germany will be concluded. If they are, Oppenheimer will proceed from London by plane to Washington tomorrow afternoon (May 31). Meanwhile all final papers will be taken to Washington today by Admiral Conolly, who is traveling by air, and should be delivered to Beam in Washington tomorrow, Monday, afternoon; and changes in communiqué and report will be cabled, we hope, tomorrow afternoon.
2. We recognize the difficulties in the way of obtaining prompt US Government approval, particularly since you properly contemplate discussing the agreements with congressional leaders. (Deptel 1959, May 281)
3. We recommend, however, that the US Government and the British Government, in the absence of finding some objectionable feature of the papers, give them their official, though not necessarily published, stamp of approval before the French debate commences. We make this recommendation because
- (a)
- It will make it more difficult for the French Chamber to reject or amend;
- (b)
- It will strengthen Bidault’s resolution and position;
- (c)
- Since the French have agreed that favorable outcome of the debate in the Chamber means immediate approval by the French Government, it will make it possible to proceed immediately thereafter at least to hold a preliminary meeting with the Ministers President in Germany.
- (d)
- It will therefore avoid delay in commencing appropriate communications with the Ministers President, which, in view of an apparent increasing effort by the Soviet in western Germany to build up opposition to the establishment of a government there, we view as very dangerous to our whole program.
4. As a result tentative discussions with Strang and short talk with Bevin believe that British Government will be able to give its approval during the course of the next three or not more than four days.
5. You, of course, know how best to present the agreed recommendations to the congressional leaders. I suggest, however, that they should be informed that there are risks in proceeding in accordance with the time schedule and the agreed papers, and that among them, at least, [Page 301] we may be subjected to greater pressure and have to cope with a more critical situation in Berlin.
Sent Department as 2361, repeated Berlin 157.
- Not printed.↩