Truman Papers
No. 711
Proposal by the United States
Delegation1
top secret
[Babelsberg, July 17, 1945.]
Memorandum
Subject: Draft Proposal for the Establishment of a
Council of Foreign Ministers
One of the most urgent problems in the field of foreign relations
facing us today is the establishment of some procedure and machinery
for the development of peace negotiations and territorial
settlements without which the existing confusion, political and
economic stagnation will continue to the serious detriment of Europe
and the world.
The experience at Versailles following the last war does not encourage the belief that
a full formal peace conference without preliminary preparation on
the part of the leading powers is the best procedure. Such a
conference without such preparation would be slow and unwieldy, its
session would be conducted in a heated atmosphere of rival claims
and counterclaims and ratification of the resulting documents might
be long delayed. I therefore propose as the best formula to meet the
situation the establishment of a Council composed of the foreign
ministers of Great Britain, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
China, France and the United States, namely, the countries which
compose the permanent members of the Security Council of the United
Nations organization. It is my thought that this Council should meet
as soon after our meeting as preparations therefor can be completed.
I should like to present therefore a draft proposal along these
lines which I have drawn up for your consideration.
[Page 610]
[Attachment]
Draft Proposal for the Establishment of a
Council of Foreign Ministers
- (1)
- There shall be established a Council composed of the
Foreign Ministers of Great Britain, the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics, China, France, and the United
States.
- (2)
- The Council shall meet at ___________2 and its first meeting shall be held on
____________. Each of the Foreign Ministers shall be
accompanied by a high-ranking deputy duly authorized and
capable of carrying on the work of the Council in the
absence of his Foreign Minister. He will likewise be
accompanied by a small staff of technical advisers suited to
the problems concerned and to the organization of a joint
secretariat.
- (3)
- As its immediate important task, the Council would be
authorized to draw up, with a view to their submission to
the United Nations, treaties of peace with Italy, Rumania,
Bulgaria,3 and Hungary and to
propose settlements of territorial questions outstanding on
the termination of the war
in Europe. The Council shall be utilized for the preparation
of a peace settlement for Germany to be accepted by the
Government of Germany when a government adequate for the
purpose is established.
- (4)
- Whenever the Council is considering a question of direct
interest to a State not represented thereon, such State
should be invited to send representatives to participate in
the discussion and study of that question. It is not
intended, however, to fix hard and fast rules but rather to
permit the Council to adapt its procedure to the particular
problem under consideration. In some cases it might desire
to hold its own preliminary discussions prior to the
participation of other interested States. In other cases the
Council might desire to convoke a formal conference of the
States chiefly interested in seeking a solution of the
particular problem. It is so authorized.
