740.5/12–2051: Telegram
The United States High Commissioner for Germany ( McCloy ) to the Secretary of State 1
830. Ref Bonn’s 829 to Dept rptd Paris 272, London 214, Dec 20, 1951.2 Yesterday’s mtg vividly illustrated certain problems that must be settled before negots Ger def contribution can make real progress. First mtg became completely bogged down on issue of respective roles of Bonn and Paris discussions. Until this matter clarified anticipate discussions here will not get into heart of problem. Mtg also demonstrated Gers ill prepared for negots. Blank obviously influenced exclusively by his relationship to Paris conf and unaware of Ger obligations arising out of contractual negots. Serious deficiency on Ger side is absence of rapporteur who can understand relationship of EDC negots to contractual negots and who has broader view than Finance Minister on size of def contribution. Most significant developments as reported in Reftel are:
- (1)
- Ger desire that EDC negotiate with non-EDC forces in Germany and EDC (not Ger) contribution thereto. Blank repeated several times that since Germany’s def role wld be exclusively in EDC, relationship of non-EDC forces was exclusively to EDC and not Germany. Therefore, EDC shld negotiate with non-EDC forces re logistic and financial support.
- (2)
- Support, if any, for non-EDC forces will be met out of common budget through instrumentality of EDC.
- (3)
- Gers believe their total contribution will be less if negotiated in EDC context instead of with HICOM in context of contractual relationships.
- (4)
- Fr reps apparently in agrmt with Ger view that non-EDC forces wld have direct relationship to EDC and all related questions, such as financial contribution and logistic support, are properly responsibilities of EDC and not Germany.
Believe we shld be guided by fol principles:
- (1)
- Germany’s obligation to contribute to Western defense is a prerequisite to her change in status and, consequently, her obligation is to occupying powers. Therefore, her continuing obligation must be fixed in a convention. Total amount to be contributed and composition contribution shld be negotiated in Bonn by HICOM. Convention shld fix contribution for at least first year. After EDC is fully developed it may be desirable for contribution to be fixed entirely in context of EDC, but final decision this matter shld await evaluation EDC treaty.
- (2)
- Vitally necessary we maintain consistency between negots in Paris which, in our view, are to determine EDC contribution and not total contribution. In interest of coordination, rapporteur group unilaterally or on tripartite basis plans to be in Paris for mtgs Dec 27 and 28.
- (3)
- We will continue to negotiate here on details, but are not hopeful of getting into meat of problem until after Paris mtgs.
- (4)
- There may be some real merit in Schaeffer’s contention that it wld be politically difficult to pay amts for support of non-EDC forces directly to those forces. FonMins instructions left matter open. Believe we shld be prepared to consider this again on governmental level in event Ger desire that support of non-EDC forces be paid through EDC becomes real stumbling block.