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

850.33/7–1052

No. 57
Memorandum by the Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Western European Affairs (Knight) to the Deputy Director of the Office of European Regional Affairs (Parsons)¹

secret

Washington, July 10, 1952.

Paris telegram 219 of July 9,² reporting on the interim committee of the Schuman Plan meeting in Brussels, reported that four cities have presented their candidacies for the Schuman Plan capital: Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Liege and The Hague. It is further mentioned that on-the-spot surveys will be made of the facilities available in these four cities and that a report will be submitted to the Ministers at their next meeting.

At the same time, our draft US–UK agreed position on the Saar, which, I understand, is pretty well firmed up, gives as the first principle underlying a lasting settlement of the Saar question: “The Saar should become, as far as possible, the permanent seat of various projected European authorities, especially those of the Schuman Plan”.

Personally, I am tempted to believe that this will remain a desired goal and little more than that. Indeed, it is agreed that the Schuman Plan institutions must, so far as possible, be one and the same for the EDC; the EDC, for practical purposes, must have its headquarters in the same area as those of NATO and the latter must be close to the seat of the OEEC. Consequently, in view of these interconnections, it looks as if, in the final analysis, all these headquarters, bodies and institutions will have to be in the Paris area. Of course, an organization such as the High Court would not have to be in the same general area, but here again I understand that thoughts are solidifying in favor of The Hague. Even though as a result of the above, it looks as if the Saar, no more than the four cities mentioned, will become the seat of these institutions, I believe, in order to be consistent with our position, we should cable Paris, and perhaps the other Schuman Plan country capitals, with a view to their taking such steps as to keep Saarbruech in the running as a possibility.

1. Copies were also sent to Bonbright, Martin, Camp, and Byington.
2. Not printed; it reported on the work of the Interim Committee which met in Brussels to prepare for the ministerial meetings scheduled for late July. (850.33/7–952)