Office of the Historian

123. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Germany1

Washington, October 24, 1955—12:09 p.m.

1160. For Ambassador. Secretary has notified Department from Paris that he approves following message to you for action:2

Re Embtel 1177 and Colux 25. I am concerned at indication in last paragraph your telegram3 and paragraphs 4–6 of Colux 254 that German opponents of European integration in atomic field are making use of argument that Germany would receive less favorable treatment from US as member of European Nuclear Agency than it would bilaterally.

In present state of Brussels talks, it is obviously too early for US to undertake any specific commitments on our future relations with proposed Agency. A decision on this subject must depend in particular on our judgment as to extent to which arrangements finally agreed on really advance objectives for which we support European integration.

However, we would not wish to see Germans use any alleged US preference for bilateralism as a reason to prevent agreement on atomic integration arrangements.

If in your judgment above argument is in fact playing an important role in German Government’s attitude, you should take next opportunity [Page 337] to express concern to Chancellor and explain to him position outlined in separate message being sent you.5

Hoover
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 840.1901/10–1755. Secret; Niact; Limit Distribution. Drafted and approved by Barnett.↩
  2. In Tosec 8 to Paris, October 22, the Department transmitted an identical draft of this message to Dulles and Merchant for the Secretary’s approval. (Ibid., 840.00/10–1355)↩
  3. The last paragraph of telegram 1177 from Bonn is quoted in footnote 2, Document 121.↩
  4. These paragraphs explained the reasons for German opposition to European atomic energy integration. See ibid.↩

  5. In telegram 1406 from Bonn, November 1, Ambassador Conant informed the Department as follows:

    “Regarding Department telegram Bonn 1160. I have left with Brentano aide-mémoire incorporating sense first sentence paragraph 1 and language paragraph 2 Department telegram 1159. Brentano said he was glad to have this but would have wished we could go further. He also suggested I see Strauss, which I hope to do in next few days.

    “Understand Cabinet will attempt on November 3 take decision regarding instructions to be sent German delegation Brussels. In this connection, I have impression Germans are having considerable difficulty reconciling conflicting viewpoints to reach a firm position not only on European atomic agency but also on domestic framework nuclear industry. I would therefore hope it might be possible to avoid premature precipitation of issue regarding European agency, since I believe that given sufficient time Germans may be able work out position which would not necessarily be negative.” (Department of State, Central Files, 840.1901/11–155)

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