Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Western Europe and Canada, Volume VI, Part 1

740.00/9–1152: Telegram

No. 103
The Consul at Strasbourg (Andrews) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Strasbourg, September 10, 1952—noon.

44. From Tomlinson. Subject is European political community.

Fol is final text of resolution adopted this morning by Foreign Ministers six Schuman Plan countries regarding European political community:²

Begin Text.

Considering that final objectives of six governments has been and remains to arrive at creation of as broad as possible a European community;

Taking note of fact that at request of Italian Government there was inserted in treaty constituting European Def Comm signed May 27, 1952 an article 38 whose purpose was to give Assembly of said community task of studying creation of new Assembly elected on democratic basis which could constitute one of the elements of an eventual federal or confederal structure based on principle of separation of powers and including in particular bi-cameral representative system;

Recalling that in its resolution number 14 adopted May 30, 1952, Consultative Assembly of Council Europe asked that governments of member states of Eur Def Comm should designate, taking account of most rapid procedure, Assembly which should be charged with working out statute of supranational political comm open to all member states of Council of Europe and offering possibilities of association to such of these states as did not become members of this community;

Conscious of the fact that creation of a European political comm of federal or confederal structure is tied to establishment of common bases of economic development and to a fusion of essential interests of member states;

The six Ministers of Foreign Affairs of countries participating in Coal and Steel Comm, meeting in Luxembourg Sept 10, 1952, have taken following decision, which takes account of above considerations as well as of their desire to hasten study of proposed draft treaty, and to assure to that draft the maximum of authority:

a. The members of Coal Steel Assembly are invited to work out draft treaty constituting a European political comm, taking as a basis the principles of Article 38 of EDC Treaty and without prejudice to provisions of that treaty. To this end, members of Assembly, grouped by national delegations will co-appoint from among delegates to Consultative Assembly who are not already members of Coal Steel Assembly, as many additional members as may be necessary to reach a membership equal to that provided for each country in assembly of EDC.

b. Assembly thus composed and completed will meet in plenary session at seat of Council Europe. It may also meet in committee sessions.

It will determine conditions under which representatives of other countries and in particular of those countries which are members of Council Europe, may be associated with its work in capacity of observers.

It will make periodic reports to Consultative Assembly on state of advancement of its work.

c. Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting is [as?] Council of Ministers of CSC will be associated with work of Assembly under conditions which shall be fixed by common agreement.

In order to facilitate this work, they will formulate questions to be submitted to Assembly which will deal with such subjects as: Fields in which institutions of Europe political comm will exercise their powers;

Measures necessary to assure a fusion of interests of member states in these fields;

Powers to be granted to these institutions.

Ministers will make periodic reports to committee of ministers of Council of Europe.

d. Within six months from convocation of Coal Steel Assembly, that is on Mar 10, 1953 results of studies provided for above shall be communicated to Assembly of Europe Def Comm which is charged with tasks mentioned in Article 38 of EDC Treaty, as well as to Foreign Ministers of six countries.

e. The governments declare that they have been expressly inspired by proposals of British Government whose purpose is to establish as close as possible relations between future political comm and Council Europe. It is for this purpose that working out of statute of this comm shall be undertaken and pursued in permanent liason with organisms of Council of Europe.

f. Consultative Assembly of Council Europe shall be informed of above decision.

g. Procedure provided above does not in any way prejudice treaty constituting Europe Def Comm.

End Text

Adenauer will present this decision to CSC Assembly at some point during its current session. We are not yet sure whether full text above resolution will be released or exactly what form Adenauer’s presentation will take.

Andrews

1. Repeated to London, Paris, Bonn, Rome, Brussels, The Hague, and Luxembourg.
2. For a summary of the discussion of this resolution by the Schuman Plan Ministers, see telegram 46 from Strasbourg, Sept. 10, infra. For a slightly different translation of this resolution, see Documents (R.I.I.A.) for 1952, pp. 214–216.