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

740.5/8–2052: Telegram

No. 88
The United States Special Representative in Europe (Draper) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Paris, August 20, 1952—11 p.m.

Polto 190. Cotel. Subject is European Coal Steel Community—negotiations with British.²

1. Monnet goes to London today for talks with Makins and Dixon of FonOff concerning British association with CSC. Talks expected to last several days.

2. Monnet hopes that rapid agreement with British on concrete forms of association between United Kingdom and supra-national continental bodies will help allay fears of many continental political leaders that joining continental union will draw them away from British, and that creation of a 6-nation community without British will lead to German domination on continent. He is convinced ratification EDC and development of European political community will be much easier once association is established.

3. Monnet’s ideas on form which British association might take are rather vague except that he wishes a separate mission to CSC institutions established at seat of High Authority. He assumes that British, who have been very anxious to talk with him, will have concrete proposals to make. He stated he wants to accept any arrangements desired by British as long as they do not prejudice independent and supra-national status of CSC. Monnet also commented in general terms that relationships with the United States should as far as possible parallel arrangements to be made with British. This would make clear that continental unity is to develop within Atlantic community and by demonstrating concretely the tripartite nature of Atlantic community would reinforce political attractiveness of European idea on continent.

4. Monnet does not believe British will bring up “Eden proposals” in these negotiations; if they do, he does not think that they will interpret them in such a way as to give 14 countries any authority over supra-national community to which 6 of these countries have surrendered a part of their sovereignty. If this issue should arise, he said, he would be forced to take position that any attempt to subordinate community and its institutions to any outside agency would be contrary to Schuman Plan Treaty and hence unacceptable. (Monnet has already received opinion from La Grange, court advocate of CSC court, to this effect.) British are fully aware of Monnet’s position and presumably would not wish public conflict on such a subject; their repeatedly expressed desire that he come to London to discuss association therefore convinces him that they do not plan to pursue such an interpretation of Eden proposals.

5. Monnet’s intention is that London talks will cover only questions directly concerned with “association” between United Kingdom and community. On tariffs, quantitative restrictions or other commercial policy questions he is only in position to listen. Considerably more preparations will be required before such discussions could be fruitful, and tariff and commercial policy negotiations at least cannot be instituted until High Authority has sought and obtained necessary unanimous instructions from CSC Council of Ministers. Commercial policy negotiations would presumably be carried out by High Authority and special British mission after latter is established in Luxembourg.

Draper

1. Repeated to London, Bonn, Rome, Brussels, The Hague, and Luxembourg.
2. According to telegram 876 from London, Aug. 15, the Foreign Office informed Embassy officials that the British hoped “to get down to brass tacks on subject of Brit working relations with Schuman Plan authority when Monnet visits London to discuss matter next week.” The British stated that they were prepared to send a permanent delegation to the authority headed by a businessman “who has political sense.” (850.33/8–1552)