740.00119 Control (Germany)/9–1846: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 18—12:03 p.m.]
4682. Discussing Germany, Chauvel said in confidence that the Foreign Ministry feels that prior to the Big Four Discussion on Germany, [Page 605] scheduled for later this year, France should have informal bilateral discussions about Germany with Americans and British with a view to reaching agreement on as many points as possible. Chauvel has already approached the British (Oliver Harvey) on this subject and Chauvel is now preparing a paper setting forth general French views on Germany which will serve as a basis of discussion with the British. He emphasized that the French paper (a copy has been promised us) is by no means a rigid presentation of French views but will serve to indicate the general lines of French thinking.
Among the points which the French wish to discuss and on which the French believe a considerable measure of agreement is possible are the following: Agreement on the number of Länder and their geographical delimitation; scope of authority of the Länder governments and the precise relationship of such governments to the proposed central government; precise definition of the powers of the Central Government and the exact scope of its action and method of its election; special international economic control system for the Ruhr industry, etc.
Although Chauvel stated frankly that until after the November elections the French Government can take no new stand on German policy, nonetheless he feels strongly that very useful preparatory work can result from informal bilateral Franco-British, Franco-American conversations along above lines, which will facilitate the work of the Big Four meeting on Germany. (Chauvel hopes that Big Four meeting will at least result in naming of deputies to examine German problem and in fixing their terms of reference.)
It was obvious from Chauvel’s remarks that the British-American decision to treat their two zones as an economic unit has been the prime factor which has needled French into desire to bring British, American and French ideas into agreement. Officials who share Chauvel’s views feel that ultimately French will have to tie up with the American and British and that at present they are being left out of Anglo-American planning which may eventually form the pattern for the treatment of all three zones.
Chauvel did not say where the French envisage holding the informal bilateral Franco-American talks on Germany but emphasized the confidential character of the foregoing and that the French Embassy in Washington has not as yet been brought up to date on this.65
Repeated London as 692 and Berlin as 332.
- The Department’s reply contained in telegram 5042, September 24, 11 a.m., to Paris (Secdel 976), reads as follows: “Dept watching with great interest favorable evolution French FonOff views on Germany. Recommend every encouragement Chauvel and like-minded officials looking to eventual informal bilateral discussions before CFM meeting on Germany.” (740.00119 Council/9–2446)↩