740.00119 EAC/5–645: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 6—10:40 a.m.]
4599. Cornea 229. On receiving Department’s 3450, May 2,7 p.m.,30 I raised the question of publicity on control machinery arrangements for Germany as a matter of first priority in the European Advisory Commission meeting of May 3 stressing the need for an early public statement.
At the May 4 meeting the United Kingdom Representative stated that his Government agreed in principle to publication of a summary. Gousev and Massigli have not yet received the reactions of their Governments to my May 3 request.
At May 3 meeting it was the unanimous feeling of the EAC that it is essential to inform the most interested Allied Governments of control arrangements through the EAC channel prior to issuing a public statement. It was agreed that summaries of the control machinery and occupation zones arrangements ought to be given to the European Allied Governments with whom the EAC Allied Consultation Committee has consulted regarding the summary of the surrender instrument.
At May 4 EAC meeting summaries of the control machinery and one of occupation arrangements were approved for communication to the European Allied Governments and this communication was approved by the United States, United Kingdom and French representatives. Gousev has not received the consent of his Government to transmit these two summaries to the Allies.
I hope the communication of the summaries to the Allies can be carried out within 3 or 4 days. I anticipate that the EAC will then approve for publication a summary of control machinery arrangements probably worded somewhat differently in order not to offend the susceptibilities of the Allied Governments.
- Not printed; it reported that the War Department wished to release as soon as possible a summary statement on the control machinery arrangements for Germany, and it directed Winant to consult urgently with his colleagues on the European Advisory Commission to ascertain if there would be any objection to such an announcement (740.00119 EAC/5–245).↩