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

740.00119 Council/12–645

The British Ambassador (Halifax) to the Secretary of State

Washington, December 6, 1945.

My Dear Secretary of State: Mr. Bevin has asked me to tell you that in deference to your strong views, he is prepared to agree to go with you to Moscow on the understanding that it is to be an exploratory conference the object of which will be to ascertain and examine the difficulties between the Three Great Powers before the United Nations Assembly meets.

At the same time Mr. Bevin hopes you will consider the following points:—

(a) Should we not tell the Soviet Government and also announce to the world that one of the main objects of the meeting is to enable the United States Government and His Majesty’s Government to exchange views with the Soviet Government on the subject of the control of atomic energy? Mr. Bevin notes that this subject appears as Item 1 on your proposed agenda.

(b) Mr. Bevin could not agree to discuss in Moscow matters of concern to the French Government in the absence of French representatives. He considers that the two main questions of concern to the French are:

(1) Questions affecting Germany. Mr. Bevin notes that these do not figure in your proposed agenda and he assumes that you agree that they should not be discussed in Moscow.

(2) The question of reconvening the Council of Foreign Ministers. Mr. Bevin feels that if this subject were discussed in Moscow we should soon get ourselves involved in questions which we have agreed cannot be discussed in the absence of the French, and we should thus be manoeuvred into giving away the position adopted at the Meeting of Foreign Ministers in London. Mr. Bevin therefore hopes that you will agree to take this subject off the agenda. He adds that it may be that if the Moscow discussions are fruitful we shall be able at the end of them to approach the question of arrangements for the resumption of the Foreign Ministers’ Council without incurring the danger he has mentioned, but he does not think that there should be any discussion of this particular topic with the Soviet Government at the outset.

(c) Mr. Bevin hopes that the United States Government will join with His Majesty’s Government in giving an assurance to the French Government before any announcement of the forthcoming meeting is made that the United States Government, like His Majesty’s Government, do not propose to discuss in Moscow any matters of concern to the French Government. If the United States Government does not feel able to join His Majesty’s Government in giving such an assurance to the French Government, Mr. Bevin feels that in any case he must tell the French Government that for his part he will not discuss such matters in Moscow in their absence.

(d) Mr. Bevin is very glad that you are prepared, if necessary, to stay for some time in Moscow, but points out that there will in fact be an automatic time limit on the meeting since the General Assembly of the United Nations is due to meet in London in the first week of January. He feels it would be most unfortunate if the Assembly were to open while the Foreign Secretaries of the Three Great Powers were still sitting in Moscow. It seems to him, therefore, that the Moscow discussions could not continue much beyond the end of December. This being so, it is all the more important to keep them on an exploratory basis. Moreover, Mr. Bevin hopes that in view of our willingness to go to Moscow, Mr. Molotov himself will be willing to come to London for the General Assembly. He wonders whether you would put this point to Mr. Molotov when you communicate with him. Mr. Bevin naturally hopes that you yourself will attend the General Assembly in London.

Mr. Bevin also asks me to consult you about the terms of the announcement of the conference, to which he would like to give careful consideration from the point of view of British public opinion. He suggests for your consideration something on the lines of the attached draft statement. As regards the timing, he asks me to say that he attaches particular importance to making a communication to the French Government before any public statement is made.

Believe me [etc.]

Halifax

[Enclosure]

Draft Statement Proposed by the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Bevin)

The Governments of the United States, U.S.S.R. and the United Kingdom have come to the conclusion that it would be useful if the three Foreign Secretaries, who have been in constant touch, were to meet for an exchange of views and exploratory discussions before the meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations which is due to begin early in January.

It was agreed between the three Governments at the Crimea Conference and reaffirmed at the Berlin Conference that there should be such periodic consultations between the Foreign Secretaries of the three Governments, and since the last occasion on which they met was in London and prior to that in San Francisco, it has been agreed that their forthcoming meeting shall take place in Moscow.

The meeting will also afford an opportunity to the United States Government to have an exchange of views with the Soviet Government on the subject of control of atomic energy.