Office of the Historian

740.5/10–554: Telegram

The United States Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Hughes) to the Department of State 1

secret
Paris, October 5, 1954—7 p.m.

Polto 563. Cotel.

1.
In response letter from Sir Christopher Steel, acting on behalf chairman Nine-Power Conference, perm reps met this morning in restricted session.
2.
SecGen welcomed French perm rep Couve de Murville, sitting for first time, and Gen Schuyler, attending on behalf SHAPE. SecGen [Page 1371] announced that Pearson, Can FM, would meet with Council Wednesday morning to report on Nine-Power Conf.
3.

Steel made few general remarks about Nine-Power Conf, particularly emphasizing rigidity of proposed Brussels regime as compared NATO, and necessity operating it to inspire mutual confidence.

Reported that SecGen of NATO had agreed put facilities and Secretariat personnel of NATO at disposal Paris WGs responsible spelling out Nine-Power agreements.

Proposed that NATO reps plus Ger Rep and NATO SecGen, SG and SHAPE reps meet informally as Working Party Nine-Power Conf immediately after this mtg This was agreed.

4.
Reps of Delegations not attending Nine-Power Conf all expressed great appreciation for efforts made keep them informed of its work.
5.

Chairman requested members be prepared agree at NAC mtg Wednesday on time and place of ministerial mtg. Understood that Nine-Power mtg proposed October 22 in Paris.

Brief discussion problem attendance at this ministerial mtg indicated most reps expected foreign ministers and defense ministers only. SecGen thought it would be useful have this reported to govts.

6.

Italian Rep reported agreement on Trieste and described settlement briefly.2 Stated documents would be distributed Wednesday. Emphasized heavy sacrifices made by Italy to promote peace. Expressed gratitude to US and UK for their help in reaching settlement.

Most other perm reps congratulated Italy and in some cases Yugoslavia for statesmanship in reaching this agreement.

7.
US Rep suggested that problem of release of classified NATO documents to Germans in course work to be done in Paris on Nine-Power decisions be put on agenda for formal NATO meeting Wednesday. This agreed.
Hughes
  1. Repeated to Bonn and London.↩
  2. Documentation concerning the Trieste negotiations, including the so-called Memorandum of Understanding signed by representatives of Yugoslavia, Italy, United Kingdom, and the United States, in London on Oct. 5, is presented in volume viii .↩