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

840.811/7–2545

No. 759
Proposal by the British Delegation¹

[Babelsberg, July 27, 1945.]

Draft Proposal by the British Delegation

International Inland Waterways

It was agreed that there should be free and unrestricted navigation on such inland waterways as border on the territories of two or more States and that such free and unrestricted navigation should be guaranteed by international agreements.

As an initial step there should be set up as soon as possible interim navigation agencies for the Danube and the Rhine. The functions of the interim navigation agencies should be the restoration and development of navigation facilities on the river concerned, the supervision of river activities in the interest of equal treatment for the nationals of different states, and the establishment of uniform regulations concerning the use of facilities, rules of navigation, customs and sanitation formalities, and other similar matters. The United States, the United Kingdom, the U. S. S. R. and France would be members of both these agencies, together with the riparian States, provided that the admission of Austria and Germany should be a matter for subsequent agreement among the Four Powers on the Control Council for Germany and the Allied Council for Austria. Other United Nations with a substantial interest in navigation on these rivers might be invited to participate by agreement between the Governments represented on each agency.

It was also agreed that similar principles should be applied to the Kiel Canal, but that in present circumstances this would be a matter for the Allied Control Council in Germany and would be subject to the requirements of the Allied authorities in Germany.

The three Governments decided that consideration should be given by the Council of Foreign Ministers to arrangements of this character for the Danube, the Rhine, and the Kiel Canal, in the course of the preparation of the Treaties of Peace with enemy States.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1. Submitted at a meeting of the Subcommittee on Inland Waterways, July 27. See ante, p. 453. For the final paragraph of this proposal, see document No. 1375.