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

850.33/7–2552: Telegram

No. 76
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France¹

secret

Washington, July 30, 1952—6:29 p.m.

567. Paris pass SRE.

1. Fol are Dept views on nature US representation to Shuman Plan institutions and proposed channel of communications. We have given Kenney copy but have not yet had discussion these suggestions with MSA. Other points in Repto 113 July 11² will be commented upon in separate msg.³

2. Formulation of views has been complicated by confusion in location of Schuman Plan organs reported Embtel 583 July 25.⁴ It is our guess now on which we wld appreciate Paris comments that Mins at next mtg will decide to locate all Schuman Plan orgs with possible exception of Court at Strasbourg pending further developments in Saar. However since Assembly of Schuman Plan will in any case be in Strasbourg and elaboration of Eur Polit Community will be done by this group it is clear that US must have first-class senior officer in Strasbourg by early Sep so we may be kept fully informed developments and in a position use our influence if necessary. We believe however that it wld be a mistake for US to formalize its relationship with these new orgs too quickly. Apart from fact that difficult yet predict how important a Eur center Strasbourg may become we feel there is unfortunate tendency on part Europeans to regard development Schuman Plan and Eur Polit Community as things which Europeans are doing because US wants them to be done rather than because Eur countries concerned believe in them and that this tendency might be accentuated by precipitate estab special Mission. Another reason for moving cautiously in formalizing our relationship is desirability seeing type of relationship Brit estab before finalizing ours. After much thought we have therefore come to conclusion that initially at least rather than establishing separate US Mission at Strasbourg it wld be better to strengthen and reorganize Consulate putting in outstanding senior officer as Con Gen and giving him necessary technical staff. By letting relationship with new orgs grow from Consulate we wld avoid having define nature our relationship and scope our interests prematurely, yet be in position to put persons of real influence with Europeans on spot. Arrangement wld not prejudice estab of independent Mission either at Strasbourg or elsewhere at later date if this seemed to be more satis arrangement. If as seems likely there is a transitional period when some of institutions function at Strasbourg, some at Saarbrucken, and possibly the High Auth remains at Lux, Strasbourg is sufficiently centrally located to be able for a transitional period to be focal point for all three.

3. Staff charged with responsibility for these special questions wld of course not be expected participate in regular work Consulate which wld be handled by other officers and wld act as separate unit.

4. Fol pattern communications for all Schuman Plan–Eur Polit Community–Council of Eur and related matters wld be established in order ensure appropriate handling.

(a) All tels from Strasbourg to Dept and from Dept to Strasbourg wld be rptd Paris for Emb and SRE. SRE wld be able not only to comment on all tels in either direction but wld have auth hold up instrs from Wash to Strasbourg if they were in disagreement with them until matter cld be satis resolved between Wash and Paris. This is roughly same system used for communications with USDel to ECE in Geneva and as was used with HICOG in connection with instrs to USDel to IAR. It has proved workable and expeditious in both cases.

(b) State Dept series wld be used for all msgs but with some series prefix (similar to Excon which is used on all East–West trade matters) to indicate interdepartmental distribution at Wash end.

5. Foregoing is concerned with type arrangement which we wld forsee in Strasbourg fol next mtg Schuman Plan Mins and assumes preponderance of institutions are then located Strasbourg. Between now and middle Sep it obviously important for US maintain contact with developing High Auth at Lux. Believe this can best be done by temporary detail competent officer familiar with initial problems confronting High Auth to Leg Lux. We wld hope same individual wld subsequently form part special unit at Strasborg Consulate.

6. Dept actively seeking top level officer for Strasbourg position and considering possibilities for immed assignment Lux. Wld like ur comments on proposed arrangements.

Acheson

1. Drafted by Camp and cleared with Parsons, Perkins, WE, GER, and E.
2. Document 58.
3. Presumably a reference to Document 85.
4. Document 72.