C.F.M. Files: Lot M–88: Box 2063: US Delegation Minutes

United States Delegation Record, Council of Foreign Ministers, Second Session, Twelfth Informal Meeting, Palais du Luxembourg, Paris, June 22, 1946, 4 p.m.

top secret

Present

U.S.S.R.
M. Molotov (Chairman)
M. Vyshinsky
M. Gusev
M. Pavlov
France U.K.
M. Bidault Mr. Bevin
M. Couve de Murville Sir Oliver Harvey
M. Courcel Mr. Jebb
Interpreter Interpreter
U.S.A
Mr. Byrnes
Senator Connally
Senator Vandenberg
Mr. Bohlen

Mr. Molotov presided and said that the first item was the Austrian-Italian frontier but he understood that the Commission’s report was not ready. Also, in regard to the next item, that of the restriction on the Italian fleet, he understood that the report of the Naval Commission would not be completed until Monday.

Mr. Bidault inquired whether the questions of Tenda and Briga could not be discussed.

Mr. Molotov said he was not prepared to consider that today but would be at the next meeting.

Mr. Bevin said he hoped at that time the problem of Mt. Seni could be likewise discussed and said he understood that the Experts’ report on the water supply would be ready Monday morning. It was agreed that this subject would be discussed at length. Mr. Bevin then suggested that they take up the Dodecanese. He pointed out that the Greek Government had first raised the question on April 28, 1945 and that this document had been submitted to the Secretariat of the Council of Foreign Ministers.

Mr. Molotov stated that the Greek Government has never pressed this question or at least has never hurried the Soviet Government on it. He felt that it should await its turn.

Mr. Bevin remarked that he imagined the Greek Government had confidence that the Soviet Government would agree to the return of [Page 580] these Islands to Greece and that possibly that was why they had not pressed the point. Mr. Bevin said that in fact the Greek Government had submitted lengthy memoranda on the subject and that the British people did not understand why the Ministers could not dispose of this question in favor of the Greeks.

Mr. Molotov retorted that when the proper time came it would be possible to settle that question.

The Secretary said that since there appeared to be no question before this meeting, he would like to say a few words on another subject. He inquired whether they could not agree to send out immediately invitations to a Peace Conference; that the Deputies had reduced the area of disagreement and the Ministers had reached agreement on several questions. He felt there were only two questions of any real difficulty before the Council, namely, that of Trieste and that of reparations. If they could send invitations for a conference on July 15, they would still have three weeks to continue their attempts to settle outstanding questions and to discuss the Austrian and German questions which were on the agenda. He said the Ministers should stay in Paris during this three weeks’ period and make every effort to reach final agreement but if on one or two questions they could not do so, then they should not be obliged to ask the advice of the Conference.79 He pointed out that if they delayed much longer in calling a Peace Conference, it would not be possible to hold it this summer since the General Assembly of the United Nations was scheduled for early September. He earnestly requested that his suggestion be accepted as he felt the mere fact of calling a Peace Conference would give great encouragement to the peoples of the world, and would, in fact, probably facilitate agreement among the Ministers in the intervening three weeks.

Mr. Molotov said they were all anxious to convoke a Peace Conference but he felt it was too soon to discuss a date since they had not even finished the examination of one peace treaty and there were four others to consider.

Mr. Bevin said peoples of the world were beginning to wonder with some concern whether there was to be a Peace Conference. While the other nations had been ready to trust the Four Powers to prepare the drafts, there was beginning to be some resentment with the delay in getting on with the business of making peace. He said that certain nations which had actively fought felt that they were in a position [Page 581] to make a contribution if they were only allowed to do so. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea to give to these nations the assurance that they would have an opportunity to participate by fixing the date of the Conference.

The Secretary pointed out that in Moscow decision we had promised the nations of the world that there would be a Peace Conference not later than May 1st of this year but that that promise had not been kept.

Mr. Molotov agreed that we should try and accelerate the work of the Council to a maximum degree.

Mr. Bidault said that the French delegation had tried without success to find compromise solutions. As matters now stood Mr. Byrnes wished to set the date for a Peace Conference but Mr. Molotov felt that this was only possible after the general lines of the peace treaties had been agreed upon by the Ministers.

Mr. Molotov stated that he meant that the Ministers should at least complete their examinations of the drafts in their present status and that it was too soon to fix a date.

Mr. Bevin suggested that they run through the drafts of the peace treaties and that any open question which remained should be timely submitted to the peace conference.

Mr. Molotov said that such questions as were open could not be settled by automatic reference.

Mr. Bevin said that what he meant was that if we could not agree on these questions they should be submitted to the Conference for discussion and recommendation but that there should be no further delay in a peace conference due to the inability of the Ministers to agree.

Mr. Molotov remarked that it would be better to concentrate on the immediate questions before them and not to worry about the future. The main thing was to reach agreements here.

The Secretary suggested that the meeting on Monday should be in plenary session since they were to take up questions based on new reports from the experts and not old questions where all the facts and positions had been thoroughly discussed. He said he would like to have his experts with him on Monday. He said he agreed with Mr. Molotov on the necessity of reaching agreements but he did wish to point out that they had made very little progress since September 3, 1945. At the present rate he said they would not be finished this year.

Mr. Bevin said he thought it would be possible for the Deputies to draw up a status report on all treaties and that the Ministers could examine them next week and by Friday know where they stood. On that day the question of the holding of a peace conference should be reopened. The Ministers then could move on to the consideration of the Austrian and German questions.

[Page 582]

Mr. Bidault said there was no objection to endeavoring to reach that stage by Friday but he did wish to point out the fact that of the open items at the end of the last session of the Conference many had been settled at this session. In fact, out of the twelve items open at the time of adjournment, five and probably six had been settled. He said he naturally welcomed the suggestion that the Ministers should not delay in discussing Germany since it was well known France had urged the earliest consideration of that important question.

Mr. Molotov said the Soviet delegation had no objection to trying to run through all the peace treaties by Friday but he felt that the Ministers must finish their examination of the treaties before calling a conference. He suggested that the Deputies be asked to draw up an agenda for Monday.

The Secretary suggested that the Ministers themselves set the agenda, as it would save time and they all knew what questions were pending. For example, could they not put the Dodecanese on the agenda and try and settle it on Monday.

Mr. Molotov said that he had often stated that he did not see any great difficulty in the settlement of the Dodecanese question but a formula was necessary and he would like a little more time to prepare it.

It was decided that the Ministers would meet in open session at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 24,80 and that they would discuss the Austrian-Italian frontier, the Franco-Italian frontier and the limitations on the Italian fleet as the first three items.

  1. The proposal described in this sentence is explained by Byrnes in his book Speaking Frankly, p. 132, in the following terms:

    “The next day [June 22] I proposed that we issue invitations for a peace conference on July 15 and that we utilize the intervening period to seek settlement of the remaining issues. Those that remained unsolved on the fifteenth we would simply report to the assembled twenty-one nations.”

  2. According to the Secretary’s report in telegram 3057, Delsec 610, not printed, the Foreign Ministers agreed to adjourn until June 24, 11:30 a.m., when the Council would assemble in full session (740.00119 Council/6–2246).