Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, General: Political and Economic Matters, Volume II

Council of Foreign Ministers Files: Lot M–88: CFM London Decisions

Record of Decisions of the Twentieth Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, Lancaster House, London, September 25, 1945, 11 a.m.

London, September 25, 1945, 11 a.m.

C.F.M.(P) (45) 20th Meeting

Present

U.K.	U.S.A	U.S.S.R
Mr. Bevin	Mr. Byrnes	M. Molotov
Sir R. I. Campbell	Mr. J. Dunn	M. F. T. Gousev
Sir A. Clark Kerr	Mr. B. V. Cohen	M. K. V. Novikov
Mr. A. Duff Cooper	Mr. J. F. Dulles	M. S. A. Golunski
	Mr. C. E. Bohlen	M. V. N. Pavlov

France	China
M. Bidault (Chairman)	Dr. Wang Shih Chieh
M. Couve de Murville	Dr. Wellington Koo
General Catroux	Dr. Victor Hoo
M. Alphand	Dr. Hollington Tong
	Mr. Yang Yun Chu

1. Japan: Allied Control Machinery

The Council resumed their consideration of the question whether the memorandum on this subject by the Soviet Delegation (C.F.M.(45) 49¹²) should be added to the Agenda for the present Conference.

After discussion, the Council took note that there was no common agreement among the members of the Council to add to the Agenda for the present Conference the question of Allied Control machinery for Japan.

2. Repatriation of Soviet Nationals¹³

The Council considered memoranda on this subject by the Soviet Delegation (C.F.M.(45) 10) and the British Delegation (C.F.M.(45) 46¹⁴).

After a full discussion, the Council—

(1) Adopted the following resolution:

“The Council of Foreign Ministers takes note of the statements of the United Kingdom, United States and French Delegations to the effect that their respective Governments will continue to take all necessary measures to accelerate the repatriation of Soviet nationals and to facilitate, by common agreement, the conditions necessary for the accomplishment of this task”.

(2) Agreed that any questions relating to the Repatriation Agreements, including questions of national status, should continue to be pursued through the diplomatic channel.

(3) Agreed to resume, at their meeting on the following day, discussion of the proposal of the French Delegation regarding the repatriation of French nationals still in the custody of the Soviet Government.¹⁵

12. September 24, p. 357.
13. This Record of Decisions was discussed at length during the 28th Meeting of the Council, September 29. According to the British Record of the Council’s 28th meeting (not printed), the Council agreed that the Record on the question of repatriation of Soviet nationals should consist merely of a statement that an exchange of views took place on the memorandum submitted by the Soviet delegation.
14. C.F.M.(45) 10, September 13, and C.F.M. (45) 46, September 22, pp. 151 and 325, respectively.
15. For text of the French proposal regarding French nationals in Soviet hands, see the American minutes of the 20th meeting of the Council, September 25, infra.