740.5/8–2051
Paper Prepared by William T. Nunley of the Office of European Regional Affairs1
top secret
[Washington, August 24, 1951.]
Major Points of Agreement and Disagreement in Interim Report op Paris Conference on Organization of European Defense Forces2
| Agreed | Unresolved |
| a. objectives and general principles | |
| Fundamental aims and broad consequences of the EDC (European Defense Community) including: | |
| (1) Purpose of fusing Western European armed forces under joint super-national institutions. | |
| (2) Defensive and peaceful character of such institutions. | |
| (3) Most complete integration of armed forces possible in view of political circumstances and consistent with combat efficiency. | |
| (4) No discrimination among member states. | |
| (5) Close liaison with NATO institutions. | |
| (6) Common financial base, supply system and armament program for integrated armies. | |
| (7) Necessity of transitional period before assumption of full responsibilities by EDC. | |
| b. institutions | |
| (1) Independent juridical personality for EDO, with retention of institutional procedures of Schuman Plan, including: (a) a European Authority; (b) a Council of Ministers; (c) an Assembly; (d) a Court of Justice. | |
| (2) European Authority would have powers like those exercised by any national defense minister over national forces. Would consist of Commission or Commissioner named by unanimous agreement of participating states. Would be subject to both Council of Ministers and Assembly. Could be suspended by unanimous Council decision. Could be removed by Court of Justice on petition by Council, or on vote of censure by Assembly. | (2) Some nations favor single Commissioner; others a plural Commission. |
| (3) Council, composed of ministers of participating states, would issue general directives to Authority on subjects and under conditions to be specified. Certain unspecified actions of Authority would require Council concurrence. Council would have exclusive power over changes in statutory texts of EDC and constitution of forces. Would require periodic reports from Authority and conduct special studies. | (3) Subject matter and conditions for Council directives, acts of Authority requiring prior concurrence by Council, number of votes to be possessed by each member state within Council and circumstances requiring more than bare majority vote for decision. |
| (4) Assembly, with same general composition as Sehuman Plan Assembly, would have functions of debating, study, observation, and supervision, including power to obtain information from Authority. | (4) Specific distribution of Assembly seats among participating nations, and extent of participation by Assembly in budgetary process. |
| (5) Court of Justice would have essentially same status as Schuman Plan Court. Competence, appeal, procedure, and conditions for interpretation of Treaty agreed in general terms. | (5) Need for lower courts to handle expected large number of military offenses and civil suits. |
| c. military questions | |
| EDC will have air, land, and naval forces. Forces will consist of major units containing elements of different national origins. Major units will be “European” with integrated command, supply, general reserves, etc. Military doctrines would be standardized, “European” schools and research institutes established, and other standardization measures, such as common uniforms, adopted. | Level of integration of national units, French believe largest national land unit should consist of combat team with approximately 6000 men; Germans propose national operative unit of 10,000 questions, such as ratio of tactical air power to ground forces, also unresolved. |
| d. financial questions | |
| EDC would have common budget, made up of contributions from member states on basis of agreed formula. Estimates would be prepared by Commissioner and approved by Council. Execution, control, and audit of expenditures would follow traditional national practices. | (1) Majority required for Council approval of estimates. |
| (2) Extent of participation by Assembly in approval of estimates. | |
| (3) Formula for sharing burden among member states. | |
| (4) Practicability of advance formula not subject to annual revision. | |
| e. transitional arrangements | |
| Major EDC institutions would be created immediately after Treaty signature but would temporarily delegate responsibilities to national authorities and gradually reassume same. All existing [Page 865] forces placed at disposal of SHAPE by member countries would be declared European as of a fixed date, as well as forces recruited for NATO after that date. Forces retained for internal security purposes excluded. During interim period actual recruiting and training would be carried on by national authorities under broad NATO directives. During transitional period, Authority and Council would cooperate in development of standard regulations and procedures, etc. Preparatory work would be performed in close liaison with SHAPE. | (1) Matters which should be settled at time of treaty signature, rather than worked out during transitional period, such as status of forces, financial regulations, etc. |
| (2) Procedure for liaison with SHAPE during transition. | |
| (3) Length of transitional period. | |
| f. general provisions | |
| Duration of Treaty would be fifty years. | (1) Procedure for ratification and amendment of Treaty and its entry into force. |
| (2) Conditions under which other nations may adhere. | |
| (3) Site of EDC Headquarters. | |
- The text of this paper, which was prepared at the request of Ridgway B. Knight, was also circulated in the Department of State as document WFM T–4, August 29, 1951, one of a series of briefing and position papers prepared in connection with the forthcoming meetings of the American, British, and French Foreign Ministers in September 1951 (CFM files, lot M–88, WFM-tripartite).↩
- For extracts from the Interim Report, July 24, see p. 843.↩