740.00/8–351: Circular airgram
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Offices 1
Subject: Present Attitude of Delegations to Consultative Assembly Council of Europe Regarding Its Future Work.
In an interview with Dana Adams Schmidt carried in the New York Times Monday, July 30, 1951, Edouard Bonnefous, president of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the French National Assembly and member of the French delegation to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe, reportedly stated: “European unity is dead, and the European Assembly at Strasbourg is dead, too, and it is the British who killed them …2 Under the circumstances the Consultative Assembly cannot accomplish anything. I won’t go to Strasbourg any more and lots of other French political leaders won’t go either, because there is nothing to be done there except talk. There is in any case no sanction to-back-up the Assembly’s vote.”
Although his statement should be considered in the context of the recent rejection of Bonnefous’ draft for a European Transport Authority by the Committee of [on] Economic Questions of the Consultative Assembly, in the light of several new factors which appeared at the last session of the Consultative Assembly in May, 1951, the question arises whether this attitude may be in part reflective of a general attitude in the delegations to the Consultative Assembly.
Among these new factors were the atmosphere of uncertainty regarding its work and the absenteeism prevalent. Regarding absenteeism, many delegates did not come at all and others left after participating briefly in the early debates. For example, no regular member of the Irish delegation attended. Bidault, Mollet and Churchill were not there. For the Italians, French, and Irish the forthcoming elections at home were a major contributing factor. Interwoven with these factors of absenteeism and uncertainty was the fact that it had become clear before the last session that the Council of Europe would not develop into a European federation in the near future as many of its supporters so ardently desired. Therefore, the fact that certain federalist delegates have in the [Page 42] past taken an “all or nothing” approach, stating that the Consultative Assembly has the alternative of becoming a “true European Parliament” or dying may assume increased importance.
The Department is concerned whether the defeatist attitude characterizing Bonnefous’ statement may be widespread enough either to endanger the future work of the Council of Europe or to create an unfavorable impression on any delegation from Congress which may meet with representatives of the Consultative Assembly, if the concurrent resolutions, presently under consideration in Congress in response to the Assembly invitation are passed.3
The Department requests information on (1) present attitude of the country delegations to Consultative Assembly of Council of Europe toward attendance at the October session: (2) the views of the delegations on the future work of the Consultative Assembly. We would also appreciate an evaluation of the implications of such attitudes for the future of the Council of Europe as a whole, if the information available is sufficient to make proper evaluation, and any further comments which the Mission feels pertinent.