840.70/12–2044: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 20—5:07 p.m.]
11309. The Foreign Office is considering a new proposal with respect to European inland transport. At my request, Hawkins, Mosely and Hooker discussed it today with Cadogan,32 Strong33 and Ronald.
Foreign Office is proposing to the Government that the Conference recommend the revised EITO agreement in substantially its present form to all the governments invited to the Conference, including the Soviet Government; but that the agreement shall not be open for signature until the liberation of Europe has been signalized by the formation of a control commission for Germany. This procedure is designed to permit the Soviets to sign at that time, together with whatever Polish government or authority is actually in control at that time. If the London Poles should be unable to implement their commitments, this factor would be sufficient reason for them not to sign even if they were still recognized as a government in exile.
[Page 922]Foreign Office is also proposing to His Majesty’s Government that the UK and the US inform the Soviets that military requirements make it imperative to get some sort of interim organization going without delay in the SHAEF area or perhaps in the SHAEF–SACMED area, and that the UK, US, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland and possibly Greece, should enter into an informal agreement to put the substance of the EITO agreement into effect among themselves in so far as it is applicable, and with such modifications as might be necessary in the changed circumstances, pending the time when the EITO agreement would be open for signature.
The purpose behind this proposal is to avoid setting up an organization with the participation of the London Poles, on the assumption that it would jeopardize Soviet participation at the time when such participation will become most essential, namely, on the setting up of the Control Commission for Germany. We believe that the most important countervailing consideration is the danger that the Soviets might interpret such a procedure as a move toward setting up a western European economic bloc. The Foreign Office, however, minimizes this danger. It suggests that it might be largely obviated by the fact that the interim arrangement would be superseded by the coming into effect of the full agreement at a time when there is certain to be a de facto government in Poland, whether or not the London Poles are competent to participate. Thus the Soviets themselves would participate in the action that put an end to the interim western European phase of the arrangement.
Hawkins, Mosely and Hooker made it clear that they were seeking information and expressed no opinion of the proposal.
We are informed that Noel-Baker opposes the Foreign Office view, on the ground that it constitutes a last-minute change from what we had given the Soviets and the Continental Allies to understand we would do, namely, that we would go ahead with the establishment of EITO with or without Soviet participation. He believes that the Soviets will regard it as a last-minute weakening, and the Continental Allies, in view of their previous rejection of the Ronald formula, as a breach of faith.
We understand that the matter will go to the Cabinet for decision.
In the meantime, Ronald proposes to secure Massigli’s reactions and promises to inform us promptly.
The Foreign Office on Friday, December 15, requested the British Embassy in Moscow to ask the Soviet Government to expedite their consideration of the draft agreement as revised, and to express the urgent hope that they might be willing to make known their views upon it not later than Wednesday, December 20.
[Page 923]The French views on these proposals will be reported as soon as ascertained.
Repeated to Moscow as 133.