740.00119 EAC/11–744: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in the United Kingdom (Gallman)
9325. Reurtels 9442 and 9261.50 As you are aware, questions of economic policy occupied a major place in Cabinet Committee deliberations regarding treatment of Germany, but full clarification of policy was not obtained. Following these deliberations, the Department was recently asked to furnish an amplification of its views regarding economic policy toward Germany. Material along these lines is now in course of preparation and will be submitted shortly. In this way we hope to obtain sufficient clarification of basic policy on economic treatment of Germany to enable us to begin discussions with British and Russians on reparation and economic security. At this stage, however, we do not believe that any workable distinction between policy matters and technical matters can be drawn. Consequently, we wish, despite our earlier proposals, to defer tripartite conversations until we have obtained definite clearance on basic lines of policy. We appreciate present urgency of getting ahead on conversations on these subjects, and we believe that necessary policy clearance can be obtained in a few weeks.
Sent to London, repeated to Moscow re its tel 4037.51