800.602/10–1845: Telegram
The United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:15 p.m.]
802. The fourteenth meeting of the Coordinating Committee took place on October 16 with the French member presiding.
[Page 884]. . . . . . .
In the last meeting of Coordinating Committee (see my no. 767, October 13, 1 p.m.) faced with the French refusal to agree to the establishment of German central administration of transport, General Clay had asked his other colleagues in the next meeting to report whether they were willing individually or collectively to join with the U.S. Zone in setting up a German operated inter-zonal administration. Since the French were under instruction not to discuss the matter in Committee, General Clay announced that he would contact his colleagues individually in this matter outside of Committee.31 The British and Russian members then expressed their strong disappointment that the Central German Administrations were not yet set up in compliance with the Potsdam decisions.32 The British member commented that the fact that the powers might now act outside of the quadripartite organization was a danger signal, that the deadlock should be broken as soon as possible. The French member stated that he would report these sentiments to his Government.
- Consequently, General Clay withdrew his proposal from the agenda. This fact is recorded in the agreed minutes of the Fourteenth Meeting of the Coordinating Committee (CORC/M(45)14), transmitted to the Department as enclosure No. 4 to despatch 1190, November 1, from Berlin. (740.00119 Control (Germany)/11–145)↩
- See General Sokolovsky’s statement as quoted in Clay, Decision in Germany, p. 110. The agreed minutes record that “General Clay stated that he agreed perfectly with General Sokolovsky.” (740.00119 Control (Germany)/11–145)↩