Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1945, Europe, Volume V

740.00112 E.W./2–1345: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State

Bern, February 13, 1945—9 p.m.
[Received February 13—8:20 p.m.]

984. For Department and FEA from Currie Mission. Delegation arrived in Bern on first through train from Paris since German occupation of France. Swiss are extremely interested in delegation and our arrival caused considerable excitement. Crowd of several thousand Swiss greeted us at the station. Press summaries will be sent by separate cable.

Yesterday Currie delivered the President’s letter²⁴ to Von Steiger, President of Swiss Confederation. Then followed large press conference. Prepared statement is being sent you.

This morning we met in plenary session with Swiss delegation. Currie stated joint position subject under discussion. Foot and Vergier [Vergé], French Chargé d’Affaires, added comments. We delivered to Swiss preliminary draft of agreement which we hope to reach. This draft provided for complete cessation of transit and exports to Germany including any net export of electricity, implementation of Bretton Woods Resolution No. VI²⁵ and general clauses relating to coordination of Swiss purchases and provision of supplies for relief of France and other liberated countries. In return we would agree to continue the food and fodder quotas and to open quotas covering Swiss raw material requirements and to make the best arrangements possible for transit across France. We also offered to permit Swiss to import at once a list of commodities which is being sent you under separate cable. Swiss restated their request for raw materials which we took under consideration and will forward shortly by pouch. Subcommittees were appointed to consider in detail the various items on the agenda and these subcommittees are scheduled to meet tomorrow. [Currie Mission.]

Harrison

24. Not found in Department files.
25. For text of resolution, see circular airgram of August 19, 1944, 2 p.m., Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. ii, p. 218, or Proceedings and Documents of the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, July 1–22, 1944 (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1948), vol. i, p. 939. For documentation pertaining to the Conference, see Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. ii, pp. 106 ff.