740.00/7–2352: Telegram
No. 68
The Ambassador in France (Dunn) to the Department of State1
522. Re Embtel 491, July 22, rptd London 88, Bonn 66.2 Subject is European political community.
[Page 132]Italian Emb informs us that in last night’s talk with De Gasperi, Schuman accepted all major Italian amendments mentioned para 3a through 3c reftel, and that common French-Italian proposal on European political authority will be presented to six ministers probably tomorrow afternoon. De Gasperi also saw Adenauer this morning, and was very impressed with firm stand which Germans intend to take on importance moving rapidly ahead to create common political authority. Adenauer was also as strongly opposed as ever to use of Council of Europe Assembly.
Our source seemed very encouraged by these developments. He believed that solid French-German-Italian front can be maintained on this issue at tomorrow’s (Thursday’s) meeting. Only serious difficulty he foresees will be Dutch effort to keep this matter completely off ministers agenda on grounds that in absence Dutch Government, Stikker can not take any commitments.
De Gasperi expressed himself as strongly in favor close United States association with work of Schuman Plan Assembly on political authority. De Gasperi discussed this question also with Adenauer, who agreed entirely. De Gasperi will probably make proposal in sense para 3d reftel when French-Italian proposal on political community is discussed by ministers.
- Repeated to London, Bonn, Rome, Brussels, The Hague, and Luxembourg.↩
- Not printed; it transmitted the text of a French draft proposal on a European Political Authority substantially along the lines reported in Document 62. (740.00/7–2252)↩