740.00119 EAC/5–2245: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 22—8:50 p.m.]
5121. Comea 263. At tonight’s meeting of the European Advisory Commission Strang raised the question of a public statement that the four powers in exercising supreme authority with respect to Germany intend to consult with Govts of other United Nations. (Reported in my 4688, May 10, 8 p.m., Comea 234). The second of the two draft [Page 301] statements circulated as EAC 45/52 of May 774 was approved by the Commission since it relates the proposed public statement to the issuance of the declaration on the defeat of Germany and the assumption of supreme authority. The purpose of the proposed joint statement is to give effect to pgh 9 of the EAC report of November 14, 194475 transmitting the agreement on control machinery in Germany.
In approving this draft statement I restated my understanding that the consultation referred to was intended to be carried on through the Allied military missions provided in article eight of the agreement on control machinery and through diplomatic channels between the various govts of the United Nations.
With regard to the time which the EAC might recommend for the issuance of this public statement on consultation I proposed that it be issued in the four capitals at the same time as the declaration on the defeat of Germany. This question was left open.
In accordance with Dept’s 3657, May 9, 7 p.m., I again pressed strongly for the earliest possible communication to the seven Allied Governments of the summaries on zones of occupation and on control machinery in Germany and for the earliest possible publication of an agreed statement on these two subjects. (See my 4707, May 10, 10 p.m. Comea 236.76) Gousev showed some embarrassment at his inability to give a reply and expressed his hope of shortly having instructions on both questions. Strang and I urged the desirability of publishing an agreed statement on zones and control machinery at the same time as the declaration on the defeat of Germany in case it were not possible to arrange its prior publication.
The Commission agreed to consider further the timing of the publication regarding (1) consultation with other United Nations, (2) summary on zones of occupation and (3) summary of control machinery in its relation to the time of publication of the declaration of the four powers regarding Germany.
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Not printed; the text of the draft public statement by the four powers with regard to consultation with other United Nations Governments, transmitted to the Department by the Ambassador in the United Kingdom in his telegram 5122, Comea 264, May 23, 11 a.m., read as follows:
“By the declaration made at blank on blank date the governments of the US, UK and USSR and Provisional Government of the French Republic have assumed supreme authority with respect to Germany. The governments of the four powers hereby announce that it is their intention to consult with the governments of other United Nations in connection with the exercise of this authority.” (740.00119 EAC/5–2345)
Department’s telegram 4141, May 25, 11 a.m., to London approved the text of the statement (740.00119 EAC/5–2345).
↩ - Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. i, p. 404.↩
- Not printed.↩