Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, European Advisory Commission, Austria, Germany, Volume III

740.00119 Control (Germany)/5–2845: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)

Washington, May 28, 1945—6 p.m.

1166. Mytel 1160, May 26.⁹⁸ Please approach FonOff immediately and inform it as follows.

US Rep on EAC has been instructed to propose that four Allied Commanders-in-Chief meet in Berlin on June 1 to sign and issue declaration on Germany; publicity arrangements to be coordinated by four Governments as soon as date is fixed. US Rep also will propose that Allied Reps who sign declaration will in effect become Control Council and should thereafter meet as such to deal with questions as they arise; the CC would thereupon establish four-power control machinery as agreed upon in EAC.

Request FonOff⁹⁹ urgently to instruct its Rep on EAC in order that plans for the issuance of the declaration and the establishment of the CC at the earliest possible date can be made.

Sent to Paris and Moscow. Repeated to London as 4238.

Grew

98. Same as telegram 4216, May 26, 7 p.m., to London, p. 308.

99. A memorandum by the Minister Counselor in the Soviet Union, George F. Kennan, dated May 29, and attached to the Moscow Embassy copy of this telegram reads as follows:

    “I am averse to making any ‘request’ of the Foreign Office in this matter.

    “I suggest we simply give them the information contained in paragraph 2 and state that ‘my Government has asked me to make this information available to you in order that the Soviet Government may be in a position to instruct its representative on the European Advisory Commission at once with respect to the proposal which the United States representative on the Commission will make’.”

    The note dated May 29 from the Ambassador in the Soviet Union to the Soviet Foreign Commissar, not printed, incorporated this suggestion (Moscow Embassy Files).