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

860f.4016/6–2845

No. 437
The British Embassy to the Department of State

Ref: 512/15/45

Paraphrase of Telegram From Foreign Office to Washington Dated June 22nd, 1945

My immediately following telegram¹ contains text of instructions I proposed sending to Mr. Nichols. But before despatching these I am anxious to know the views of the State Department. Please discuss these draft instructions with State Department and let us have any comments they have to make as soon as possible. You should point out that we recognise that the matter in its immediate aspect concerns the Americans more closely than ourselves since they occupy at present a large part of Czechoslovakia and also their zone of occupation in Germany marches for many miles with the Czech frontier.

2. It is in our view important that we should make clear to the Czechs that it will be for the Allied Control Commission in Germany, when the main questions of principle have been decided between the Governments, to decide when and by what stages German minorities outside the frontiers of Germany can be admitted into that country. This question will affect the general administration of Germany far more closely than that of the repatriation to Germany of Reich Germans now in Czechoslovakia, which according to His Majesty’s Ambassador in Prague is in the Russian view a matter for the Control Commission to decide.

3. It seems to us that a full exchange of views with the Americans on the whole question of transfers of ethnic minority groups in Europe is desirable, with special reference to United States proposals as reported in Prague telegram No. 44.² Such an exchange of views might lead up to tripartite discussion on the subject at the forthcoming meeting of the “Big Three”. Will you sound the State Department on the latter proposal and let us know their reactions to it.

4. We have now been approached by the United States Embassy on the lines anticipated in Prague telegram No. 44. They are being informed of the instructions sent to you in this and my immediately following telegram.

Washington , June 28th, 1945.

1. Although the text of the message referred to was apparently made available to the Department of State (see document No. 440), it has not been found in the Department’s files.
2. i. e., from the British Embassy at Prague to the Foreign Office. Not found in Department of State files.