CAB129-52 — Page 107

Page 107

Printed for the Cabinet. June 1952

CONFIDENTIAL

C. (52) 189

Copy No. 63

10th June, 1952

CABINET OFFICE RECORD COPY

CABINET

FUTURE OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

MEMORANDUM BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

My colleagues will recall that they approved the proposals contained in my memorandum C (52) 40 that the Council of Europe-in addition to performing its present functions-should be reconstituted to permit the Committee of Ministers and the Assembly to become institutions of the Schuman Plan, the European Defence Community and any future European organisations with the same structure (C.C. (52) 30th Conclusions, Minute 3).

I

2. I put forward those proposals at the tenth session of the Committee of Ministers in Paris on 19th March. They were well received and, after a general discussion, were referred to the Deputies for detailed study. The results of this study, which were necessarily preliminary in character, were contained in a report which came before the Committee of Ministers at its eleventh session in Strasbourg on 22nd May. This report showed that there was a large measure of agreement on our proposals, but that certain differences of opinion existed on the questions of timing and method of application, as well as some misapprehension about our intentions.

3. The ensuing discussion in the Committee of Ministers, when I was able to elucidate our intentions, confirmed the favourable reception which the proposals received when they were launched in March. A resolution was adopted approving their underlying principle. It was also agreed that the Consultative Assembly and the six Governments participating in the European Communities should be asked for their views on the best means of giving effect to the proposals and that the Deputies should continue to discuss the question in the light of these views.

4. The Consultative Assembly met from 26th to 30th June, when the British Delegation was ably led by Mr. Anthony Nutting, M.P., Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. A general debate took place on our proposals, which were warmly welcomed by an overwhelming majority. The General Affairs Committee has been instructed to study these proposals in detail and report back in September.

5. Our stock in Strasbourg now stands high. This is due to our initiative in launching proposals which have been accepted as proof of our willingness to estab- lish close political, as well as technical, links with the European Communities. If, as I hope, the proposals are translated into action, we shall have rounded off an awkward angle and have brought our relations with the Council of Europe into line with our general policy of encouraging the movement towards federation in Europe and associating the United Kingdom as closely as possible with it short of a merger.

6. There are still difficulties to be overcome. For example, the Swedish Government are finding it difficult to reconcile a link between the Council of Europe and the European Defence Community with their policy of neutrality. It should, however, be possible to find a solution which will enable Sweden to continue to participate in the work of the Council of Europe.

Foreign Office, S.W.1,

10th June, 1952.