Evening star., 1953-03-30
The Fronco-Americun TuIks

The true value Of the Franco-American
consultations which have just ended here must
be measured with the passage of time. At this
moment, despite the obvious fact that all
mutual concerns have not been resolved In
detail, it is clear that understandings have been
broadened and deepened by the direct exchange
of views on such wide range Of military,
political and economic subjects.
Most far-reaching, perhaps, of these UNDER
standings is that pertaining to the Communist
menace as global problem and the 'interde-
pendence" of the Korean and Indo- Chinese
wars in that picture. The NATO Council
meeting of last December went on record as
feeling that the Indo-China war, for which
France has borne the brunt, has common
security interest to the Atlantic powers and
warrants their continuing and collective sup
port. The exact nature and extent of this
support have not yet been spelled out but
President Eisenhower, during the course of the
conversations here, made significant press
conference statement to the effect that the
United States does not consider the French
effort there as part of colonial war but rather
as part of a general struggle against Commu-
nism. It was implied then. and it was confirmed
by the official communique of the Franco
American talks, that increased American aid
will be directed to the prosecution Of that war.
theater as a current battle-ground for resistance
to Communist aggression, the French have now
agreed, as did the British only fortnight
earlier. to take stronger steps toward blocking
off the ocean shipment of strategic supplies
to Red China The loopholes which have existed
in this theoretical embargo have been SUBJ
stantial ones, particularly damaging to the
predominantly American effort of the United
Nations forces in Korea.
AS far as the global threat of Soviet Com
muniSm is concerned, the confereeS agreed that
the basic nature of this menace, "in the absence
of any tangible proof to the contrary" has not
been altered by the change of command in
Moscow. The philosophy, which President
Eisenhower previously had expressed, of guard
ing and increasing our power while avoiding
provocation was implicit in that portion of the
communique.
In the offlcial American opinion, one Of
the critical subjects of the talks was that Of
the European army treaty and the prospects
for its speedy ratification by the French Ma
tional Assembly. While Premier Mayer on sew
eral occasions has spoken his support for this
unprecedented project of merging military
forces in a gle-uniform army, strong politi-
cal opposition Is facing him in the French
parliament. It was also made clear during the
conferences here that even the Mayer govern
ment feels that some further progress toward
solution of the Saarland ISSUE between France
and West Germany. must be made before the
EDO pact can have reasonable chance OF
French ratification.
Accordingly the Franco-American COM
munique's reference to the desirability of ratid-
cation of the treaty with minimum delay was
conditioned upon prior understanding between
Bonn and Paris on the Saar. The attainment
of such an understanding is not simple
process of course, and the pressure" which
American conferees are known to have put
upon the French on this issue undoubtedly
will have to be imposed also upon the West
German delegation due to come here next
week.
The results then, and in the Franco
German negotiations expected to follow soon
after, will provide an important measuring rod
for the Franco-American talks which have just
ended.