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

740.00/6–2363: Telegram

No. 175
The United States Representative to the European Coal and Steel Community (Bruce) to the Department of State¹

secret
priority

Paris, June 23, 1953—8 p.m.

Coled 113. 1. Very little was accomplished at meeting of Foreign Ministers yesterday.² Bidault make it absolutely clear that he could only express personal views and could not take any official engagements. He said he had been opposed to meeting, but that De Gasperi had insisted. Apparently Bidault remained aloof during most of discussion.

2. De Gasperi also seemed inclined to avoid any new positive decisions at this meeting. However, he opened with statement that he would be successful in forming government; that he would follow same policy; and with help of Monarchist Party, he hoped to ratify EDC treaty in October. Beyen said he expected second Chamber to ratify by July 21. No other comment was made on prospects of ratification.

3. Chancellor tried to obtain a communiqué or an agreed statement which would be mandate from 6-nations to Bermuda conference³ giving them clear endorsement to continuation of present policies toward European integration and Germany. No opposition or hesitation with regard to these policies developed and in fact all Ministers expressed continued support by their governments, but Chancellor was unsuccessful in his effort to obtain an agreed statement of position. He did obtain agreement to a sentence to effect “German reunification and independence is in complete harmony with policy of European integration”, but this was dropped from communiqué as unnecessarily argumentative.⁴

4. Regarding The Hague telegram 1579, June 22,⁵ Beyen emphasized that France could not represent views of other 5 nations at Bermuda conference even on questions relating to 6-nation community. He said his government wished to retain right to representations on every subject. Other Ministers agreed. Bidault said that in his present position he could not accept mandate anyway and that French representative at Bermuda would not seek to represent other nations. However, on questions of European unity and Germany, France would when necessary attempt to report and to interpret views expressed by 6 Foreign Ministers.

5. Chancellor was disappointed with meeting. According to Blankenhorn, Ministers seemed lacking in energy to act and day long exchange of speeches left vague and negative impression. Chancellor, however, found some encouragement in agreement fixing date of August 7 for Ministers’ meeting in Baden Baden to continue work on treaty establishing political community. Delay was considered necessary because of Bermuda conference. No agreement could be reached authorizing preparation at working level prior to meeting of Ministers. Bidault apparently even tried to prevent agreement fixing next meeting. German delegation believes definite scheduling of meeting will be adequate to demonstrate to public continuity of present policies. Also, it seems generally accepted that Ministers must make decisions on certain principles before conference work on final treaty can usefully be undertaken.

6. No discussion was held on questions of observers from third countries, of participation by parliamentarians, of signature of EDC protocols or of procedures to be followed in work on political community treaty. Attendance at session was very closely limited and no secretariat was present to keep record of views expressed. We may have further comments after additional conversations with interested officials.

7. Because session did not adjourn until just before formal dinner it was not possible for De Gasperi to meet with me before his departure this morning for London. I may arrange with Ambassador Luce to visit Rome next week.

Bruce

1. Repeated to London, Bonn, Rome, The Hague, Brussels, and Luxembourg.
2. The Foreign Ministers of the six Schuman Plan countries met in Paris on June 22. At an earlier meeting in Paris May 12–13, they had agreed to hold their next meeting in Rome on June 12; however, the French requested a postponement which was accepted by the other participants according to telegram 5048 from Rome, June 9. (740.00/6–953) The Department of State was subsequently informed in telegram 5200 from Rome, June 19, that the six Foreign Ministers agreed to meet in Paris on June 22 to discuss future EPC plans and the general situation in Europe prior to the Bermuda Conference. (740.00/6–1953)
3. For documentation concerning the Bermuda Conference, which was planned for June and then later delayed until Dec. 4–8, 1953, see vol. v, Part 2, pp. 1710 ff.
4. For the text of the final communiqué, see Documents (R.I.I.A.) for 1953, p. 222.
5. Not printed; it informed the Department of State that the Dutch opposed a suggestion which De Gasperi intended to make concerning the French representative at the Bermuda Conference serving as spokesman for all six Schuman Plan countries. (740.00/6–2253)