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

740.00/8–1552: Telegram

No. 86
The Chargé in France (Achilles) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Paris, August 15, 1952—6 p.m.

1010. Subject is European polit community.

Fol is translation Fr–Ital proposal on creation Eur polit community which will be discussed at mtg FonMin 6 Schuman plan countries between Aug 25 and 30 (see Luxembourg’s 4 to Dept, Aug 13²).

Begin text.

Conference of Mins of FonAffs representing six countries participating in coal-steel community have taken fol decision:

1. Ultimate objective of these govts has constantly been and remains to arrive at creation of as broad as possible a Eur political community.

2. At request Ital Govt, there was inserted in treaty constituting Eur Def Community, signed May 27, 1952³ an Art 38 whose purpose was to give assembly of that community task of studying a future fed or confederal structure based on principle of separation of powers and including in particular a bicameral rep system.

3. In its resolution No. 14 adopted by consultative assembly of Council of Eur during its session of May 30, 1952,⁴ this assembly asked that govts of states participating in Eur Def Community shld choose most rapid procedure which wld give to an assembly the task of working out statute of polit community. This community shld have supranational character, wld remain open to all the member states of Council of Eur, and wld offer possibility of association to such of these states as did not adhere to it.

4. On the basis of considerations set forth in particular in points 2 and 3 above, and desirous of hastening study of proposed project while at same time assuring that this study shld have maximum authority, govts participating in coal-steel community have agreed on the fol:

(a) Assembly of this community is charged, on basis principles of Art 38 of EDC treaty and without waiting for entry into functions of EDC assembly, to study and work out draft treaty constituting a Eur polit community.

For this purpose, members of the assembly, grouped by natl delegs, will co-opt from among delegates to consultative assembly who are not members of coal-steel assembly as many additional members as may be nec to attain total membership provided for each country in EDC assembly.

(b) The assembly thus constituted and completed shall meet in plenary session and in comite sessions at seat of Council of Europe.

It shall fix conditions under which reps of other member countries of Council of Europe may participate in public deliberations.

In addition, assembly will periodically make a report to Consultative Assembly on status of work.

If within six months from convocation of coal-steel assembly, treaty for European Def Community has not yet entered into force, conclusions of work accomplished by coal-steel assembly shall be transmitted to council of Mins of coal-steel community.

(c) Council of Mins of coal-steel community shall be associated with work of assembly in conditions which shall be established by common agrmt between these two bodies. Council shall periodically make a report to Comite of Mins of Council of Eur.

(d) The govts declare that they have expressly taken as a basis the proposals made by the Brit Govt, purpose of which is to provide for as close as possible a connection between future polit community and Council of Europe.

To this end, the working out of statute for this Comm shall be undertaken and carried out in permanent liaison with all of the organs of the Council of Europe. In addition, each member country of Council of Eur shall have every facility to associate itself freely with activities of Comm in interest of latter and of unification of Eur.

(e) Consultative assembly of Council of Eur shall be informed of above decision.

End text.

Tomlinson left copies of original Fr text this document with State and MSA/W. Comments summarized in separate msg.⁵

Achilles

1. Repeated to London, Bonn, Rome, The Hague, Brussels, and Luxembourg.
2. Presumably a reference to Document 84, which was repeated to Paris as telegram 4.
3. For documentation concerning the Treaty Establishing the European Defense Community, which was signed in Paris on May 27, see vol. v, Part 1, pp. 571 ff.
4. For information concerning the Fourth Ordinary Session (First Part) of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe, which met in Strasbourg, May 26–30, and the resolutions which were approved by the Assembly, see Document 38.
5. This is a reference to telegram 1015 from Paris, Aug. 16, infra.