740.00113 E.W./7–144: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
5266. The topics we have had in mind to discuss in the informal exploratory conversations referred to in the Department’s 4659, June 12, and your 5211, July 1, 4 p.m.,87 and on which agreement before the cessation of hostilities is considered essential for the prompt and orderly initiation of reparation, are as follows:
- 1.
- Purpose and objectives of reparation;
- 2.
- Organization of reparation machinery for immediate post-surrender period;
- 3.
- Restitution and replacement;
- 4.
- Requisitioning of capital goods out of existing stocks;
- 5.
- Relation of reparation to problem of control of German foreign trade;
- 6.
- Form of payment;
- 7.
- Relation of reparation to German standard of living.
We may also wish to discuss the question of labor services, now being explored here.
While all of these points are in greater or lesser degree related to the question of economic security, it is believed both possible and highly desirable to initiate discussions on them even if final decision on economic security has not yet been reached.
Consideration of economic security problem here is now at the inter-agency stage and a definite position should be reached shortly.
Please continue urgently your efforts to obtain early date for the discussions.
This is being repeated to Moscow.88