No. 74

Editorial Note

The Department of State scheduled two conferences for its diplomatic officers in Europe during 1951. The first was for the Chiefs of Mission of United States posts in Eastern Europe and was held in Paris January 30–February 2. Regarding this conference, see Document 610.

The second conference involved the Ambassadors in Western European countries. The agenda for the meeting, scheduled to be held in Frankfurt February 5–February 7, was largely comprised of recommendations made by Assistant Secretary of State Perkins and by the United States High Commissioner for Germany, John J. McCloy. The final agenda, circulated to participants on January 19, included the following major topics: situation reports by each Ambassador, an analysis of the place of Spain and Yugoslavia in the European scene, a report of the status of plans for a European army, Germany’s future as part of Western Europe, NATO problems, and a discussion of the pending Four-Power meeting.

Perkins, accompanied by Henry A. Byroade, Director of the Office of German Affairs, chaired the meeting which was held only 3 days after the Chiefs of Mission Conference in Paris. The participants were as follows: David K. E. Bruce, Ambassador in France; Walter J. Donnelly, United States High Commissioner for Austria; Walter S. Gifford. Ambassador in the United Kingdom; Milton Katz, United States Special Representative in Europe for the Economic Cooperation Administration; McCloy, United States High Commissioner for Germany; Robert D. Murphy, Ambassador in Belgium; and Charles M. Spofford, United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council.

The report of the five sessions held during the conference is printed without its appendixes infra. Further documentation on this conference is in files 120.4362A and 740.5 as well as CFM files, lot M–88, box 156, “Ambassadors’ Meeting—Frankfurt”.