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

740.00/11–2853: Telegram

No. 183
The Ambassador in the Netherlands (Matthews) to the Department of State¹

confidential

The Hague, November 28, 1953—2 p.m.

468. Subject is European Political Community-Ministers’ meeting.²

1. Bidault’s absence during first two days and uncertainty caused by confused French parliamentary situation have been mainly responsible for failure of Hague Ministers’ meeting to produce significant new decisions. Communiqué³ will announce ministerial approval of points already agreed by experts at Rome, and designation permanent conference of deputies to work on unsolved problems and begin drafting of actual EPC treaty. Only important new elements are Dutch agreement that EPC Assembly should be popularly elected from the beginning, and French agreement to an executive responsible to that Assembly.

2. Ministers strongly congratulated Van Zeeland at announcement during first meeting Thursday that Belgian chamber had just ratified EDC treaty by 3-to-1 all-party majority. Van Zeeland was clearly very pleased and throughout meeting impressed Germans and others with more positive attitude on EPC questions than at any previous time. De Staercke told us he considers chamber vote the beginning of bipartisan Belgian policy on European matters. He said Van Zeeland now seems genuinely anxious to keep Spaak’s support on these questions and believes Van Zeeland will do his best to carry out commitment he gave Socialists to push ahead with political community.

3. Beyen provided surprise of meeting by proposing that discussion on political community and economic integration be postponed and that Ministers concentrate instead on modifying EDC treaty to provide for more democratic control over European army. He received no support from other Ministers. Van Zeeland on two occasions strongly attacked his suggestions, stressing continued interest Belgians in economic integration, and importance of pushing ahead with political and economic unification with no backward steps. Others (including Parodi) either rejected or ignored Beyen’s proposals, and after several unsuccessful attempts to revive them Beyen agreed to continue to consider contents of EPC treaty on basis of Rome report.

4. In making this proposal which would have changed entire direction of Ministers’ work, Beyen apparently believed he would contribute to EDC ratification in France while maintaining intact for the record Dutch position on EPC. His suggestion was viewed with some alarm by other delegations. Belgians and Germans in particular told us they feared next step could easily be to suggest postponement EDC ratification until necessary changes in treaty made. They also suspect that in giving his strong support to this proposal in Dutch Cabinet, Premier Drees hoped to place effective block in road to political and economic unity on six country basis. Decision on which Beyen proposal based has already been attacked on these grounds by Mansholt in Dutch Cabinet and by Socialist group in second chamber.

5. It is not expected that Bidault’s gesture in coming to The Hague for last meeting will have any effect on results of conference itself. He and Adenauer will, however, meet this afternoon on Saar problem.

Matthews

1. Repeated to Paris for Bruce, London, Bonn, Rome, Brussels, and Luxembourg.
2. The Foreign Ministers of the six Schuman Plan countries met at The Hague, Nov. 26–28.
3. For the text of the communiqué which was issued on Nov. 28, see Documents (R.I.I.A.) for 1953, pp. 224–225.