Office of the Historian

Conference files, lot 59 D 95, CF 96

United States Minutes of the Tripartite Foreign Ministers Meeting at the French Foreign Office, Friday, November 9, 1951, 11:30 a.m.1
[Extract]
secret
[Paris, November 9, 1951.]

Present

France Foreign Minister Schuman, Ambassadors Bonnet, Massigli and Chauvel, M. Maurice Schumann, M. Parodi, M. de la Tournelle, M. Lacoste, M. Broustra, M. Bourbon Busset, and M. Laloy
United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Eden, Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Jebb, Mr. Shuckburgh, Mr. Bowker, Mr. Parrott and Ambassador Harvey
United States The Secretary, Ambassadors Bruce and Gifford, Assistant Secretary Perkins, Messrs. Raynor, Knight, Battle, and for a portion of the meeting Ambassador Gross, Mr. Byroade and Mr. Wainhouse

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

NATO Meeting

Foreign Minister Schuman opened the discussion by raising the question of the date. Mr. Eden observed that he thought we had agreed to proceed with the date of November 24. M. Schuman indicated that this date was difficult for him as he had a Foreign Affairs debate that day and also had to attend a meeting of the French High Council on November 26. After further discussion, it was agreed to meet as scheduled on the 24th in Paris provided difficulties on changing from Rome were not raised by the Italians. M. Schuman said that he is in touch with the Italians on this subject and had hoped to have an answer by the time of the meeting but that it had not come in. It was left that M. Schuman will inform Minister Pearson of Canada as soon as he hears from the Italians.

There was some discussion as to the date of the second part of this meeting. Minister Schuman at first stated that it would be held late in December. Mr. Acheson, however, indicated that his thought had been to hold this meeting late in January. There was no dissent to this. The implication of the discussion was the second meeting would be held in Rome should the first meeting be held in Paris.

  1. In the records of the U.S. Delegation that accompanied the Secretary of State to Paris and Rome, these minutes were designated as Nov T M–2.↩