662.001/6–1252: Telegram
No. 112
The Secretary of
State to the Embassy in the United
Kingdom1
6581. Secy called in Br and Fr Ambs this aftn and discussed with them separately existing difference of opinion concerning content of reply to Sov note and press leaks.2 Re leaks he urged Bonnet to impress upon his Govt importance of stopping any info to press concerning points we are discussing in drafting note.3 Secy stated we are issuing nothing from the Dept and that he had cancelled his news conference this week thus avoiding questioning. He pointed out to Fr Amb we could not forever refuse to talk if official statements were issued in Paris. To Br Amb Secy said that he had no complaint on this score re Eden’s statement in House of Commons4 and wld make no point of one press story attributed to official spokesman FonOff. Secy did ask Br Amb to transmit earnest plea that clamps be put on any talk about split between 3 Powers. He emphasized again restrictions we have put on here concerning any such info to press.
Regarding substance of difference of opinion concerning mtg with Sovs, Secy said proposal for immed mtg with Sovs wld be grave mistake. He reviewed agreement at Paris and reasons for position then taken. Proposal for mtg now wld jeopardize ratification here and in Ger. Secy reported hearings before Sen Committee went very well and he was hopeful Committee wld bring in report next week. However, proposal for immed mtg with Sovs wld lead Senate to take position that situation might be changed and thus no need for their giving this matter priority.
Secy told Ambs he thought we shld now proceed with actual drafting stage envisaged in Paris talks May 27 [28?]5 and believed difficulties cld be adjusted in course of drafting. He suggested drafting coordination sessions cld begin here tomorrow. Secy emphasized [Page 268] our first draft6 in accordance with Paris agreement was not designed for stylistic perfection but merely to raise various points. Draft can be worked out covering points which Fr and Br have emphasized concerning restatement of propositions in last note, leaving door open and again putting up to Sov questions they have not answered. If Sov comes forward with suggestions mtg our conditions that wld be different situation. To Fr Amb Secy emphasized that in course of hearings he had made a statement on No Africa which he believed wld be helpful. Fr Amb confirmed that it was.
To Br Amb Secy emphasized that proposal for mtg now had not been thought through. He referred to Art 7 of Ger Convention relative to rights and obligations of present and any future all-Ger Govt.7 He said Ger elections shld lead to Constituent Assembly rather than directly to formation of all-Ger Govt as Schumacher prefers. Although improbable Sovs will go through with elections, we must think through exact situation which wld develop if all-Ger elections held. Reply note shld heavily emphasize importance of determining conditions for elections. Secy further told Br Amb he believed if we got on with drafting here we could probably work out acceptable texts which wld help meet difficulties confronting Eden and Schuman and if a final issue developed this cld be settled when he went to Lon.
Secy further informed Br Amb he had sent message to Eden indicating he was baffled by fact that, after thorough discussion with Eden and Schuman in Paris, he had had no word from Eden regarding the change in position or the reasons for it.8 He did not wish to press the point, but it did seem to him it would be better that if after ministerial agreement had been reached some telegram cld have been sent indicating that on reconsideration it was felt different line shld be taken.
Regarding procedure for coordination drafting Wash, Bonnet wondered whether this had been agreed in present conversations in Paris and said he had not yet received Fr draft but probably wld receive it by tomorrow. This was only indication by either Amb of any necessity for further instructions to authorize immed Wash mtg on drafting coordination.
Secy agreed with both Ambs on line to be taken with press concerning their conferences as follows. Fr Amb wld say they discussed a number of matters including FE questions in preparation [Page 269] for visit of Letourneau and certain economic questions in Europe.9 In course of conversation discussed procedures for going forward with coordination of reply Sov note and did not find any difficulties in way of proceeding with this work. Br Amb wld say same except that other matters merely included certain economic questions. Br Amb further stated that if pressed as to existence of basic difference he wld say there was none and cld not be any at this stage when we were at point of merely exchange views. Dept is taking same line with press here.
- Drafted and initialed for Secretary Acheson by Jessup. Also sent to Paris and repeated to Bonn and Moscow.↩
- Memoranda of Secretary Acheson’s conversation with Ambassador Franks and with Ambassador Bonnet and Counselor de Juniac are in file 762.00/6–1252.↩
- Following receipt of the Soviet notes of Apr. 9 and May 24, leaks to the press, apparently originating in Paris, gave rise to comments on the differences among the three Western powers with regard to the drafting of a reply. Documentation on these press leaks is in file 662.001.↩
- For Foreign Secretary Eden’s statement to the House of Commons on June 10 concerning contractual relations, the EDC Treaty, and the reply to the Soviet note, see H.C. Deb 5s, vol. 502, cols. 32–41.↩
- For a report on this meeting, see telegram 7397, Document 105.↩
- Presumably that transmitted in telegram 7148, Document 107.↩
- For text of the Convention on the Rights and Obligations of Foreign Forces and Their Members in the Federal Republic of Germany, signed at Bonn May 26, see Senate Q and R, pp. 89–130. An extract from this convention is printed as Document 53.↩
- Presumably a reference to the message in telegram 6522, Document 110.↩
- Letourneau visited the United States, June 16–18.↩