DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: (Handwritten: Sept. 20) September 21, 1951
SUBJECT: French Position on European Army and "Wise Men"
PARTICIPANTS: Mr. Herve Alphand The Secretary Mr. Jessup Mr. Battle
COPIES TO: Mr. Battle Mr. Perkin Mr. Byroade Mr. Cabot Mr. Godley
After the close of the North Atlantic Council session at Ottawa yesterday, Mr. Alphand followed the Secretary to his office in order to make a statement to him covering two points.
His first point was that France would push ahead as fast as it could in completing the arrangement for the European Army. They counted on the help of General Eisenhower in getting them over some of the difficulties. The Secretary broke in to say that he was sure General Eisenhower would be of great assistance in this matter. Alphand continued that it might become necessary in the course of the work of the Paris Conference on this subject to have a special meeting in which the U.S. and the U.K. would also participate to discuss the German financial contribution. He indicated that this would involve a consideration of the total cost of a defense effort which Germany would bear and how that total expenditure would be distributed as between the cost of the "occupation" forces on the one hand and the forces which Germany raises for the European Army on the other hand.
Alphand's second point was in regard to the Council Resolution establishing the group of twelve "Wise Men". He said it was of the utmost importance that in reality this group should work as a group
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of three. He said they would try to get Jean Monnet to be the French representative. The Secretary inquired whether Monnet would be able to do this in addition to all the other things in which he was engaged, and Alphand said they would try to relieve him of other obligations so that he could concentrate on this matter. He felt that this exercise should be pressed forward with intensity and speed. In this connection he brought in the usual French thesis about the burden of the war in Indochina and the impossibility of France meeting the financial burden of its NATO contribution plus its war in Indochina without further help.
The Secretary made a purely non-committal acknowledgement of Alphand's remarks.
Philip C. Jessup Ambassador at Large
S/A PCJ:eva