740.00119 EAC/5–2745: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 27—7:25 p.m.]
5336. Comea 272. Ref my 5277, May 25, midnight, to Dept, rptd to Paris as 307 and my 5280, May 26, 11 a.m., to Dept, rptd to Paris as 308. Further discussion late yesterday with De Leusse regarding French counterproposal of zone on Germany showed that two easternmost Kreise of Buchen and Tauberbischofsheim in state Baden are not included in the French claim since they lie east of eastern boundary of Wehrkreis twelve. In reply to De Leusse’s arguments we stated [Page 310] that a Wehrkreis administration line was not a logical line to choose since it applied only to military administration which was to be liquidated as quickly as possible and since it did not coincide with civil administrative lines. We added that while the desire of his Govt to occupy both banks of Rhine was understandable, it was no less essential for our large forces in Germany, engaged in a tremendous effort of redeployment, to have every necessary logistic facility for sake of common war effort.
In conclusion we informed De Leusse that Massigli’s two earlier suggestions had been examined sympathetically by US Govt and that we were authorized to accept them by adding Kreis Oberwesterwald to the bridgehead east of Koblenz and by adding Kreise of Buhl, Baden Baden and Rastatt to French zone in south. We gave De Leusse clearly to understand that US delegation EAC could conclude zone agreement on basis of previous US offer plus these four districts and that otherwise French counterproposal would require detailed and probably long consideration by US authorities. De Leusse stated that French counterproposal had been formulated by Gen de Gaulle. Advanced personal view that if French desire to occupy both banks of Rhine were not met in EAC negotiations, de Gaulle would probably take up this question during proposed visit to Washington rather than abandon what he regards as a paramount French interest. De Leusse is reporting our comments to Paris and obviously has no leeway for negotiating on basis of US offer of May 12.
Sent to Dept as my 5336; repted to Paris as 316 (for Caffrey and Murphy).