Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume I

740.00119 Potsdam/6–2045: Telegram

No. 163
The Assistant to the Secretary of State (Noyes) to the Special Assistant to the Chairman of the United States Delegation at the United Nations Conference on International Organization¹ (Yost)

top secret
urgent

Washington, June 20 [1945]—7:36 p.m.

24. To Yost from Noyes.

I am sending you herewith a suggested United States Agenda for the Big Three Meeting which we are working on but which has not been fully cleared. For your information and guidance I am including a short paragraph of explanation after each item. We are continuing work on this tentative list and shall advise you further of any changes.

(1) Procedure and Machinery for Peace Negotiations and Territorial Settlements with Germany.

This item is self-explanatory and is intended to cover discussion of the proposed Council of Foreign Ministers or other similar machinery.

(2) General Lines of Territorial Settlements and Transfers of Populations; and Peace Treaties with Axis Satellites.

Under this item we would propose certain principles which should be followed in these matters, and suggest that the detailed negotiations should be handled by the machinery set up under paragraph (1) above.

(3) Policy Towards Germany.

This item is intended to cover a wide variety of political, economic and territorial questions which must be settled at this meeting. This would include establishment of local German administrations; disposal of displaced persons; treatment of Germany as an economic unit; German exports prior to the reparations settlement; establishment of a combined transportation agency and combined coal agency under the Control Council; settlement of the status and membership of the Reparations Commission; and all German territorial problems including internationalization of the Rhineland.

(4) Unconditional Surrender of Japan and Policies toward Liberated Areas in the Far East.

This item is intended to cover a discussion of all outstanding Far Eastern problems.

(5) Implementation of the Yalta Declaration on Liberated Europe² in the Treatment of Axis Satellites during Armistice Control Period.

This item includes question of establishing diplomatic relations with the Axis Satellites and true tripartite control of them under the armistice agreements; a program for the withdrawal of Soviet troops on the basis of the four-nation declaration at Moscow;³ the manner of holding elections; relaxation of the news blackout and introduction of representatives of the Foreign Press; and recognition and application of the principle of non-exclusion and equal access in economic relations.

(6) Policy Towards Italy.

a. Review of tripartite policy, the U. S. objectives being the early political independence and economic recovery of Italy.

b. Italy’s admission to the ranks of the United Nations.

c. Immediate revision of the surrender terms,⁴ keeping only controls essential: (a) to cover allied military requirements as long as Allied forces remain in or operate from Italy; (b) to implement the pledge that the people will have an untrammeled choice of their form of government; (c) to safeguard disputed territories within the 1939 frontiers against settlements forced either by the Italians or rival claimants pending the final peace negotiations.

d. Negotiations in the near future of a definitive peace treaty, permitting the Italians to take part in discussions at an early stage rather than being forced to sign a treaty already negotiated in all details by the victorious powers. (Negotiations to be conducted by machinery proposed in paragraph (1) above.)

(7) International Bases or Strong Points.

(Such as Kiel Canal, Dakar, Bornholm?)

(8) Russian Participation in Solving European Economic Problems.

Under this item we propose to press the Russians to join the EITO [ ECITO ], EECE and ECO, and to use the food production of Eastern Europe to help feed populations of Western Europe including Western Germany and Austria.

Charles P Noyes

1. Then in session at San Francisco.
2. See vol. ii, document No. 1417, section v .
3. Text in Department of State Bulletin, vol. ix, p. 308.
4. Treaties and Other International Acts Series No. 1604; 61 Stat. (3) 2740.