740.5/4–2754: Telegram
The United States Observer to the Interim Committee of the European Defense Community (Bruce) to the Department of State
Coled 230. 1. De Staercke informs us that informal agreement has been reached between representatives of 6 EDC governments regarding problem of French Socialist request for action on democratic control of EDC. Compromise resulted directly from talks held by Spaak over weekend with other Foreign Ministers in Paris for NATO meeting. De Staercke expects text (quoted below) to be approved in EDC/IC tomorrow but that publication will be delayed until next Tuesday because of Dutch insistence on necessity Cabinet approval in their country. De Staercke spoke to Mollet today, who said that he would accept this text as basis for calling Socialist Congress if it were best obtainable under the circumstances. De Staercke also indicated that Bidault has approved this text. Because the communiqué cannot be [Page 951] published before next Tuesday, Mollet informed De Staercke that his Socialist Congress could not meet before May 30.
2. Following is text which De Staercke gave us:
Begin verbatim text. Draft communiqué of six governments signatory to EDC treaty. The six Foreign Ministers of the governments signatory to the EDC treaty have reached agreement in principle with a view to reinforcing democratic control of the European communities in existence or in the process of creation.
It is understood that this provision does not involve any modification in the treaties which have been concluded and ratified by a certain number of the signatory states. It also does not in any way extend the competencies as these are defined by these treaties. It in no way prejudices the continuation of the negotiations undertaken with a view to the creation of a European political community.
The six governments will concert, after ratification of the EDC treaty, with a view to preparing the necessary conventions to apply the agreement in principle which they have reached concerning the replacement of the present assembly by an assembly elected by direct universal suffrage before which the High Authority of the CSC and the Commissariat of the EDC will be responsible. These conventions will be submitted for a vote to the Parliaments of the signatory states. End verbatim text.