Office of the Historian

740.5/12–1951: Telegram

The United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford) to the Secretary of State 1

secret
London, December 19, 1951—8 p. m.

Depto 724. Off-record CD mtg yesterday on EDC–NATO relationship revealed consensus:2

1)
No problems under Articles 3 or 4 of NAT;
2)
Best solution on Articles 5 and 6 wld be article in EDC treaty declaring attack on any NATO member attack on all EDC plus some reciprocal NATO undertaking covering Germany. (Consensus favored ratification of NAT reciprocal guarantee but US cautioned Senate wld express strong disapproval any attempt to deal with German problem other than through full NAT membership.)
3)
All forces under SACEUR whether EDF or others must be subject exclusively to NATO strategic direction and political guidance;
4)
The EDC shld not interpose new political layer where minority might prevent all from acting.

During discussion Norway stressed vagueness Article 5 being compensated by experience in cooperation and consultation which shld bring sound, generally acceptable decisions in emergency. He stressed fact Germany wld have proportionately far greater influence in EDC than in NATO where it cld be kept in proper perspective. Netherlands stressed relationship shld be based on concept of inner and outer circles, that German NAT membership essential, and that EDC representation in NATO must be national rather than collective.

Deputies requested EDC reps to advise their Ministers of substance of discussion.

[ Spofford ]
  1. This telegram was repeated for information to Brussels, Copenhagen, The Hague, Heidelberg, Lisbon, Luxembourg, Oslo, Rome, Reykjavik, Wiesbaden, and Ottawa.↩
  2. The private, off-the-record meeting of the Council Deputies under reference here was reported upon in much greater detail in telegram Depto 722, December 19, from London, not printed. At that meeting it was agreed that the discussion of EDC–NATO relationships should be based upon the articles of the North Atlantic Treaty rather than the French proposal summarized in telegram Depto 697, December 11, from London (p. 960) or the American proposal set forth in telegram 1067, November 16, from London (p. 921). It was also agreed that the Council Deputies send observers to the Paris EDC conference. (740.5/12–1951)↩