740.00119 E.W./8–1345: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 12:01 p.m.]
2872. From Pauley for the President, for the Secretary of State. I returned to Moscow with part of my group in an effort quickly to complete a few formal matters for the Reparations Commission. After waiting several days during which the Soviets failed to call a meeting I was finally informed by Mr. Molotov that Maisky was being taken out of Reparations and supplanted by K. V. Novikov.68 We have had two meetings with Novikov in addition to one I had with Molotov. The Soviet Government still maintains that the amount and character of Reparation removals should be determined by the Reparations Commission in Moscow and wishes me to inform you of their position. We hold fast to the language of paragraph 6 of article 4 of the Berlin Protocol which states flatly that the amount and character shall be determined by the Control Council under policies fixed by the Reparations Commission. Obviously these policies [Page 1254] on Reparations are sufficiently defined for the present in the Berlin Protocol and the next work on Reparations must be handled by experts in Berlin. The British and French share our views and the British stated they would depart on Tuesday.69 I have stated that we will depart on Wednesday. The Soviet Government completely ignores our responsibilities to other nations and my views concerning our duty to afford all nations an equal opportunity to participate in removals from the Western Zones.
The Soviet Government when asked if they had a plan to submit as to the amount and character of equipment to be removed stated that they did not have but would try and prepare one in 2 weeks. This will probably mean a considerably longer period and nothing can be gained by remaining Moscow inasmuch as the immediate future work of Reparations consists of determining the amount of removals in the Western Zones and getting all other nations entitled to Reparations into an agreement. This is so important to other nations that we certainly cannot afford to waste useless time in Moscow. I have also stated to Novikov that since paragraph 14 f of the Berlin Protocol provides that common policies for Germany as a whole shall be adopted on Reparations the amount and character of Reparation removals from the Western Zones must be measured in part in the light of removals from the Eastern Zone and that this will have to be weighed by the Control Council before definite amounts of removals are fixed from the Western Zones. Novikov responded that we have no right in the Eastern Zone or information concerning it. Apparently there is some disagreement within the ranks of the Soviet Government on this subject since in discussions with Molotov he appeared to agree with my point of view. The matter however is up to the Control Council at least for the present. I am leaving Wednesday morning for Berlin both to complete setting up a small organization to work with General Clay and to discuss with the French and British procedures for inviting other nations to submit their claims.
Repeated to Wolf,70 White House. [Pauley.]