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

762.022/3–353: Telegram

No. 633
The Chargé in France (Achilles) to the Department of State¹

secret

Paris, March 3, 1953—8 p.m.

4898. Discussion of Saar between Bidault and Adenauer at Rome described by Latournelle as cordial and slightly helpful.² There was some disagreement on political statute, Adenauer wishing it to be effective “until peace treaty” and Bidault insisting that it be “subject to confirmation or modification (sous reserve) of the treaty”. On economic points. Adenauer expressed belief that functioning of SCS [CSC?] should take care of many problems and that experts should be convened as soon as possible to deal with remainder. Bidault would not agree that experts should establish their own terms of reference or that they should meet until they had been given directives by two governments. Bidault and Adenauer expect to discuss question further at Strasbourg March 9.³

Latournelle said no progress had been made on EDC, but that no ground had been lost. French had insisted that protocols must be ratified by French Assembly. Adenauer and others had maintained that since no change in substance of treaty was contemplated, subject matter of protocols could be dealt with by simple exchanges of letters. It was left that each government could present them to own Parliament or not but that interim commission should work out agreed language which French would then submit to assembly for ratification along with treaty. He said both Adenauer and De Gasperi had expressed firm intention of pushing for ratification in their respective Parliaments regardless of protocols. He saw no reason why much time should be required to reach agreement on language.

Achilles

1. Repeated to Bonn and London.
2. Bidault and Adenauer were in Rome for a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Schuman Plan countries, Feb. 24–25.
3. On Mar. 11 Conant reported that Hallstein had said the Adenauer–Bidault meeting on Mar. 9 had realized no progress on the Saar but had not lost ground either. In the same report Conant indicated that in a subsequent conversation Blankenhorn had stated further Franco-German talks could not start before May. (Telegram 4188 from Bonn, 762.022/3–1153)