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

850.33/11–2152: Telegram

No. 137
The Minister in Luxembourg (Mesta) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Luxembourg, November 21, 1952—3 p.m.

97. From Tomlinson. Subject is coal and steel community British association. ReLegtel 90 sent Paris 45, Nov. 17;² Deptel 51 to Luxembourg, Nov. 5 [4].³

1. Except for statements re Monnet and United Kingdom delegates, first meeting of joint comite⁴ did not deal with substantive questions. High Auth propose British fill out same questionnaires as special commissions (see Polto 485, Oct 18;⁵ Legtel 75, sent Paris 36, November 11⁶) now gathering information and advice to be used to prepare High Authority’s report in January. Working group appointed to determine extent this will be possible. British representative commented that no one seemed to have anything especially in mind except that this procedure would enable British to give exactly same information to High Authority about United Kingdom industry that British will receive from High Authority about European industry. Idea is that joint comite will examine and analyze information on industries in both countries in much same way as special commissions are now doing for European industries.

2. Neither High Authority nor British expect much joint work to be accomplished until next year. High Authority is now very pressed on its own problems and especially on task of finishing first draft of report in December. As one member of High Authority puts it “each day with British is a day lost for us in getting ready for common market.”

3. Same preparations are now being made for second meeting of joint comite (on steel) answer made for first meeting. Industry and labor representatives will always work with resident United Kingdom delegation but of course top representatives are only expected at first two meetings or on other special occasions. Representative of British steel industry has talked to Monnet about statements to be exchanged next Monday. British representative would like Monnet to refer to High Authority so agitation under treaty to establish set of common rules assuring establishment and observance of competitive conditions emphasizing that industries themselves are to make decisions on operations and production and that High Authority’s purpose is not to intervene in decisions of management. He believes that if Monnet made such a statement and invited British steel representatives to consider whether British steel industry should wish to observe these common rules, it would tend to create pressure for British steel industry to be under private ownership.

4. Personal conversations with British industry and labor representatives seem to confirm that Foreign Office is under considerable pressure from industry and labor on relations with coal and steel community. Member of coal board remarked “we (British) should get used to exchanging information and then sit down and get ourselves as involved with community as our political people will let us”.

Mesta

1. Repeated for action to Paris (SRE) and for information to London, Bonn, Brussels, The Hague, and Rome.
2. Not printed; it transmitted to the Department of State an exchange of statements released to the press by the Joint Committee during the Committee’s first meeting on Nov. 17. (850.33/11–1752)
3. See footnote 3, Document 130.
4. Minutes of the First Meeting (First and Second Sessions) of the Joint Committee, given to U.S. officials by the British Delegation, were transmitted to the Department of State in despatch 26 from Luxembourg, Dec. 8. (850.33/12–852) The two delegations, the British Delegation led by Sir Cecil Weir and the High Authority’s by Jean Monnet, met in Luxembourg on Nov. 17 and 24 at the offices of the High Authority.
5. Not printed; it reported on the organization of the staff of the High Authority and the consultative commissions. (740.5/10–1852)
6. Not printed; it summarized the preparatory work by the High Authority in the formation of the Commission on Supplies and Requirements. (850.33/11–752)