740.5/10–350: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in France 1
1711. At end NAC mtg New York Schuman told Sec he was thinking personally of taking initiative re Ger participation NA force. He [Page 358] realized importance France not being “dragged along” and was considering what he cld do to bring about some sort of Franco-German agreement. In this connection he mentioned possibility common Franco-German defense budget with possibility other European Govts joining it.
We wld of course welcome Fr initiative leading to Ger participation. On other hand we wld deprecate anything which might delay progress on excuse Fr needed more time develop initiative.
There is one other aspect to be borne in mind. As you know, Fr proposals concerning common defense budget are to be dealt with by NATO subcommittee. We expect its discussions to result in something practicable and reasonably satis to all concerned though considerably less spectacular than original Fr proposals.
If Fr independently developed far-reaching arrangement for a continental European defense budget, it wld make our and Brit position in subcommittee, and such arrangements as it may agree upon, considerably more difficult.
We wld welcome your views and, subj to foregoing caution, your discreet encouragement to Schuman to develop initiative this field.
- Repeated for information to Frankfort as 2529 and London as 1740.↩