862.00/12–1747: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul in Baden Baden (Mayer)
516. Circumstances cited urtel 54 Dec 1783 do not necessitate any change your attitude re Saar. Status of Saar under new government and French-approved constitution is still regarded as provisional, pending formal confirmation by international agreement. US has [Page 1103] noted such unilateral steps by French without protest and thus has neither approved nor disapproved.
For your background info Sec statement on frontiers at CFM Nov 27 contained following:
“With regard to Saar, US supports claim of France to econ integration of Saar territory. Political status of Saar should be based, we think, on principle of political autonomy and local self-government. I urge that at this session we approve French proposal of econ integration of Saar territory into that of France. After this, details, including territorial limits, can be worked out.”84
When Bidault pointed out at Nov 28 CFM meeting that Marshall and Bevin supported econ integration of Saar into France, Molotov made no comment in reply, thereby preventing quadripartite agreement.85
It is expected French will again request US-UK approval French measures affecting econ attachment Saar to France and political arrangements separating Saar from zone. Any such US approval would be de facto in nature and presumably would include proviso full recognition depends final peace settlement.
According to NY Times article, date-lined Paris, Dec 18, French ForOff official stated “Saar must remain in indefinite state until accord with Sov Govt for its econ attachment to France obtained.”
Sent Baden Baden as 516; Rptd Berlin as 2508; Paris as 4582 (Paris please comment on authenticity Times story).
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Not printed; it reported that the French Government had approved the draft constitution for the Saar, previously approved by a commission of Saarlanders. The Saar Landtag thereupon voted legislation necessary to implement the constitution and declared the constitution to be in effect. Government leaders were also elected at this time. (862.00/12–1747)
Article 1 of the Saar constitution provided that the Saar was an autonomous territory economically attached to France.
↩ - Regarding the Secretary of State’s statement quoted here, made at the 3rd meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, Fourth Session, London, November 27, 1947, see telegram 6219, Delsec 1507, November 27, from London, p. 734.↩
- For the report on the 4th Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, November 28, see telegram 6249, Delsec 1509, November 28, from London, p. 736.↩