Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, European Security and the German Question, Volume III, Part 1

7405/10–351: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Bruce) to the Secretary of State ¹

secret

Paris, October 3, 1951—3 p. m.

1987. Subject is European Defense Force. First mtg EDF Conference since Alphand’s return from Wash² was held yesterday. Main purpose of mtg was to review accomplishments during past month and plan work of Conference from now until treaty written.

After welcoming Brit observers and new German military delegate, General Speidel, and reporting briefly on Wash and Ottawa Conferences, Alphand gave brief résumé of work accomplished since last steering comite mtg. Called attention to SHAPE recommendations on basic unit and level of integration, which were acceptable to Fr Govt with minor changes. It was agreed that these questions as well as organization of Eur General staff cld and shld be settled without delay. Mil Com today set Oct 8 as date for staff to submit final studies. Question of total forces to be built up by EDF in first three years depended on outcome work of “wise men”,³ however, French Del wld propose an initial figure to be used by Conf as a working hypothesis. In Alphand’s view, transitional problem was most difficult mil question remaining, and help wld certainly be needed from SHAPE in solving it.

Fin Comite had been meeting steadily for past two weeks, Alphand reported, and had discussed org of Fin Directorate under Commissioner, problem of currencies and transfers, principles of financial regulation and standardization of troop pay. No serious discussion had yet been held on distribution of burden because of lack of info re total cost.

In the light of this balance sheet, Alphand proposed that these two comites be given one more week in which to finish work if possible on outstanding questions already under discussion and to draw up a list of questions remaining to be solved before treaty and transitional convention cld be finalized. It was agreed that steering comite wld meet Oct 9 and remain in constant session to over see the work of the technical comites until this agenda concluded.

Highlight of session was speech by Ital Del setting forth new Ital position on EDF (see Embtel 1598 Sept 12⁴). After profound study he said, Ital Govt was now prepared to accept interim report as basis of discussion on most questions, and to drop a number of its previous reservations. Specifically, Itals prepared to abandon concept of a commission of several members in place of single Commissioner for European Defense, provided commissioner is given several deputies in his major fields of responsibility, qualified to act in their own name under the authority of the defense commissioner. Italians also abandoning insistence on unanimous action by council on all major questions, and wish instead to increase powers and responsibilities of assembly.

On the budgetary problem which they have always considered most serious, Italians are now ready to seek solution through formal surrender by natl parliaments to European Assembly of sovereignty over military budget. They hope to get around problem of what wld happen if a Natl parliament refused to vote its contribution to the common budget by depriving natl parliaments of discretion in this matter. Their views on the detailed solution are fluid within this general framework.⁵

Bruce

1. This telegram was repeated for information to London, Home, Brussels, Frankfurt, The Hague, and Luxembourg.
2. Ambassador Alphand was part of the French Delegations at the meetings of American, British, and French Foreign Ministers in Washington, September 10–14, and of the Seventh Session of the North Atlantic Treaty Council, held in Ottawa, September 15–20. Regarding those meetings, see the editorial note, supra.
3. The reference here is to the Temporary Council Committee (TCC) established at the Ottawa session of the North Atlantic Treaty Council. For documentation on the Committee’s work, see pp. 1 ff.
4. Not printed, but see footnote 2, p. 880.
5. Telegram 2106, October 10, from Paris, not printed, transmitted the translated text of a lengthy aide-mémoire by the Italian Delegation to the Conference, distributed to other delegations on October 9, describing in detail the Italian comments and proposals on political institutions and budgetary procedures reported on here. (740.5/10–1051)