Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Germany and Austria, Volume VII, Part 2

762.022/3–2052: Telegram

No. 614
The Chargé in France (Bonsal) to the Department of State¹

secret

Paris, March 20, 1952—2 p.m.

5726. For the Secretary from McCloy. Long talk with Chancellor last night. He was deeply concerned over Saar and form of Sov note.² Earlier in the day I had recd from him his understanding of an agreement he had reached the day before on the Saar on the basis of which he wld be prepared to take the Saar question off the agenda for today’s mtg.³ He was angry over the fact that Schuman had not confirmed this understanding and much angrier when he read Grandval’s speech of yesterday.⁴ I again urged moderation and suggested basis on which I thought Saar agreement might be more palatable to French. Now Blankenhorn has just advised me Chancellor has reached new understanding with Schuman along fol lines:

1. Saarbrucken to be site of Schuman Plan authority;

2. Saar to have political autonomy under certain supervision by superstructure erected within the European Council whose exact form not yet clearly defined.

3. Saar people to approve the new arrangement upon the basis of free elections and by means of a newly elected Landtag. The elections to be supervised by French German Saar Commission appointed by three govts, perhaps with Allied observers i.e. UK and US.

4. The economic arrangement with France to be subj to confirmation by the new Landtag.

5. France and Germany agree to keep hands off any attempt to influence elections.

6. Some border part of Saar territory still subj to negotiation to be returned to Federal Republic.

Chancellor feels he can get Bundestag support for this program but at least he is prepared to withhold from agenda any argument on the Saar before the Council.

[Here follows a brief discussion of the Chancellor’s reaction to the Soviet note of March 10.]

I am keeping well out of formal picture and in spite of some anomaly in my position plan stay in Paris until Chancellor leaves here tomorrow in the possibility I can be useful in what I feel so decisively affects our German objectives.⁵

Intend go from here to Munich hospital for final treatment of leg Friday night. This may take a week or so but wld appreciate being advised as soon as possible info as to when I am apt to be called to Washington to testify.

Bonsal

1. Repeated to Bonn.
2. For the Soviet note of Mar. 10, see Document 65.
3. The meetings between Schuman and Adenauer on Mar. 18 and 20 were a continuation of the talks during the London Foreign Ministers meetings.
4. At a luncheon of the Anglo-American Press Association in Paris on Mar. 19 Grandval had stated, inter alia, that a union of the Saar with the Federal Republic of Germany would destroy the equilibrium of the Schuman Plan.
5. The following day Bonsal reported that the discussions between the French and West Germans on Mar. 18 and 19, at Paris, had brought agreement on two things: (a) pursuit of a definitive agreement on the Saar prior to a peace treaty with the settlement to be approved by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Saar and (b) examination with Saar representatives of the conditions for free and democratic elections in the Saar. Bonsal went on to say that it was not clear whether the interpretations of these agreements were the same on both sides. (Telegram 5789 from Paris, Mar. 21, 762.022/3–2152)