740.5/6–2454: Telegram
The Ambassador in Luxembourg (Buchanan) to the Department of State 1
123. Limit distribution. Reference Paris telegrams Coled 288 and 2892 June 23.
Benelux Foreign Ministers met in Luxembourg last night at Bech’s home where they had dinner and conferred until after midnight. No other persons present. Bech stated all unanimous in opinion that France should not be “schoolmastered”. They also feel strongly that France as signatory of EDC owes it to other members to make every effort to ratify. Bech believes chances for French EDC ratification still good; Spaak not so sure; no comment from Dutch. Bech feels that now crucial moment for Benelux members to pressure France and that they can do it where United States could not. Further stated that final alternative if France does not cooperate would be “entry of Germany into NATO as equal partner”.
Bech frequently reiterated his belief that United States should not be too impatient with France; that she knows only too well consequences if she fails to ratify; and further United States pressure only aggravates situation. In his opinion is too early to try proceed without France as participating member in any type of union. Bech feels despite her signs of weakness France still highly important factor in European unity. Thinks Mendes-France might be successful in collecting “fruit of Bidault’s and Laniel’s hard work”.
While with Bech, Spaak telephoned to set meeting date of six signatories for next Friday or Saturday. Spaak advised Bech there had been leak to German press re proposed meeting and they were both annoyed by this fact. Bech and other Benelux Ministers are unhappy with reports received from Germany re German’s general attitude and desire for sovereignty. Bechs feels Ruhr elections this weekend will be Gallup poll of German situation. Bech states, “Germany frequently voices her disappointment at not having gotten her sovereignty and questions why it is attached to EDC which France won’t ratify”.3
- Sent also to Paris for Bruce; repeated to London, The Hague, Brussels, and Rome for the Ambassador and to Bonn for Conant.↩
- Neither printed, but see footnote 3, supra.↩
- In telegram 1018 from Brussels, June 25, Alger reported that Spaak had given him the roundup on the latest developments on the Benelux invitation for a meeting of EDC Foreign Ministers at Brussels. The chief points which Spaak made were: the Italians had accepted and Hallstein had given informal German approval, but no reply had yet been received from the French Government; the story of the proposed meeting had been leaked at Bonn on June 24 and that as a consequence the Belgian Foreign Office was issuing a communiqué immediately confirming the invitations; and “Spaak feels very strongly there should be no American or British pressure on French at this stage and he considered it undesirable have US or UK observers present at proposed meeting on grounds it might give impression such pressure” (740.5/6–2554).↩