Office of the Historian

762.022/10–2154: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Dillon) to the Department of State 1

confidential
priority
Paris, October 21, 1954—4 p.m.

1680. Decourson summarized status Saar negotiations as of noon today as follows:

1)
French request Saar agreement contain specific ban on subsidization Saar political parties from outside was apparently causing Germans serious trouble. Final German position would not be known until after Adenauer’s consultations with German parliamentary leaders. French willing legalize pro-German parties only if stipulation to prevent German parties from subsidizing their Saar counterparts accepted.
2)
While French had abandoned insistence on definitive settlement, they now proposed language to effect settlement irrevocable until peace treaty. German reaction to this language unknown but there seemed to be hope Germans could accept it since French had abandoned word “definitive” even for period prior peace treaty.
3)
French still strongly favored Council of Foreign Ministers of Brussels organization as umbrella over Saar while Germans favor Council of Ministers of Council of Europe. French think Germans oppose putting Saar under Brussels organization because it would mean Saar adherence to one more international body (Saar is already in Council of Europe). Decourson said however French would probably yield on this if necessary. Both sides agree use representatives of seven Brussels Powers at Council of Europe Assembly as “popularly chosen body” to which Ministers would report.
4)
French consider idea of three-man commission (one French, one German and one neutral) for Saar utterly unacceptable, but Chancellor has said he doesn’t favor it either though his advisors do. French consider Germans have in effect dropped commission idea in favor single commissioner to be neither French, German nor Saarlander.
5)
While many economic details settled, common Franco-German market idea for Saar taken from Van Naters plan still being stressed by Germans. While this might be accepted if French were ready for single Franco-German common market, otherwise this idea was unacceptable. French had proposed specific annual increase in German exports to Saar from 2½ to 5 billion francs instead and hoped this would be accepted.
6)
Soutou and Blankenhorn are meeting again on Saar this evening and it was hoped something would come out of this.
7)
In spite of difficulties French remain optimistic because Mendes-France absolutely determined reach agreement and French realize failure reach Saar agreement would be catastrophic since Mendes position that signature London Accords cannot precede such settlement remains firm.

Dillon
  1. Repeated to London, Bonn, and Strasbourg.↩