Editorial Note
During the period of their presence in Paris as delegates to the Sixth Session of the United Nations General Assembly, November 6, 1951–February 5, 1952, Secretary of State Acheson, Foreign Minister Schuman, and Foreign Secretary Eden held several informal discussions on various international problems, particularly questions relating to Germany. Regarding these meetings of the Foreign Ministers, see the editorial note, page 1312. Of particular importance to the development of a European Defense Community was the meeting on November 22 in Paris of the three Foreign Ministers and Chancellor Adenauer (reported upon in telegram 3086, November 22, from Paris, page 1605) to review the general political situation of the Federal Republic and the progress of negotiations for the establishment of a new contractual relationship between the three occupying powers and the Federal Republic. Agreement was reached with Chancellor Adenauer at that meeting on a range of problems discussed, and a communiqué was issued to the press. One of the agreements reached stipulated that entry into effect of the contractual relationships between West Germany and the occupying powers would be dependent upon the successful completion of arrangements for German participation in a European Defense Community.
The North Atlantic Council held its Eighth Session in Rome, November 24 to 28. The United States was represented by Acheson, Snyder, Lovett, and a delegation of advisers. For comprehensive documentation on the Council session, see pages 693 ff. The work of the European Defense Community Conference was an item on the agenda of the Council. At the fourth meeting of the Council session on November 27, Foreign Minister Schuman presented a summary report on the progress to date of the Conference (see infra). At meetings on November 27 and the morning of November 28 the Council Deputies considered various compromise draft resolutions on the European Defense Community and subsequently agreed upon a version which was approved by the North Atlantic Council at its meeting on November 28 (see telegram Secto 105, November 29, from Rome, page 737).
During and after the Eighth Session of the North Atlantic Council, Secretary Acheson, Foreign Minister Schuman, and Foreign Secretary [Page 933] Eden continued their informal discussions on various international problems, including the European Defense Community. On November 26, they held a meeting with the Belgian, Netherlands, and Luxembourg Foreign Ministers (reported upon in telegram Secto 114, November 29, from Rome, page 1611) who indicated their concern with the contents of the communiqué on the meeting in Paris on November 22 between the three Western Foreign Ministers and Chancellor Adenauer. The Benelux Foreign Ministers were assured that recent decisions with respect to the timing of the completion of contractual relationships with the Federal Republic were not intended to give West Germany any advantage within the European Defense Community. Secretary Acheson emphasized to the Benelux Foreign Ministers the urgency of completing arrangements for the EDC. In a meeting on November 27, Acheson, Schuman, and Eden continued their Paris consideration of the question of the German contribution to Western defense and reached agreement on several important considerations bearing on a German contribution to a European Defense Community budget. At a private luncheon meeting on November 29 (see the Secretary’s memorandum of conversation of November 29, page 746) Acheson and Eden discussed urgent measures to be taken to assure the successful completion of the negotiations for a European Defense Community.