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

740.00/9–1252: Telegram

No. 106
The Consul at Strasbourg (Andrews) to the Department of State¹

confidential
priority

Strasbourg, September 12, 1952—10 p.m.

57. From Tomlinson. Subject is CSC and EPC. Re Contel 46 to Dept, 27 to Paris Sept 10.²

1. CSC Assembly approved rules of procedure this afternoon giving president and vice president authority to appoint secretary and secretariat of assembly. General thinking is that Dutchman shld receive post and name of Deneree, deputy clerk of Dutch Second Chamber, has been suggested. Given Spaak’s views on subject, adoption of this rule is interpreted as ending possibility that CSC Assembly and Consultative Assembly of Council of Europe will have joint secretariat.

2. Marjoribanks, UK observer, still under instructions from FonOff reported reftel, has tried to obtain support for latest proposal of Paris secretary general of Council Europe to have Caracciolo, deputy secretary general of Council Europe, named secretary of Consultative Assembly and also secretary of CSC Assembly. Paris idea was that statute of Council of Europe wld be changed so Caracciolo wld be divested of all responsibility to Council of Europe Council of Ministers. Marjoribanks obtained no encouragement whatsoever. He has reported to London that not only will Monnet, the High Authority, Schuman, Adenauer and the other Ministers strongly resist any action bringing independence of CSC Assembly into question, but this attitude is strongly shared by European parliamentarians. Marjoribanks has urged FonOff that Eden’s speech to Council of Europe on Monday³ shld be drafted in light of this attitude in order to avoid further criticism and suspicion of UK. He believes Monnet’s speech⁴ warning against any action compromising independence but urging all practical means of associating European community with UK and Council of Europe is accurate reflection of opinions of large majority of interested European officials and legislators.

3. Issue of independence and association will also be potentially explosive when CSC Assembly becomes ad hoc assembly under Ministers proposals for drafting treaty for European political community. This may be very soon. Spaak’s present plans are for French, German and Italian delegations to co-opt additional three members each from Council Europe membership over week-end and for ad hoc assembly to be constituted for this purpose Monday morning. There is considerable pressure, however, to postpone first session of ad hoc assembly until early in October.

4. Monnet plans in any case to stay over Sunday to talk with Eden and to be present at Eden’s speech to Council of Europe on Monday. Sir Cecil Weir will also be present Monday if CSC Assembly meets then as ad hoc assembly.

Andrews

1. Repeated to Paris, London, Bonn, Rome, Brussels, The Hague, and Luxembourg.
2. Document 104.
3. For information concerning Eden’s speech which was scheduled to be given on Monday, Sept. 15, see Document 110.
4. See footnote 3, supra.