Foreign Relations of the United States, 1947, Council of Foreign Ministers; Germany and Austria, Volume II

CFM Files: Lot M–88: Box 2161: CFM(D) (47) (G) Documents

Proposal by the United States Delegation to the Deputies for Germany of the Council of Foreign Ministers ⁴⁹

secret
CFM(D) (47) (G)53

London, 10th February, 1947.

Questions Relating to Germany: Procedure

1. Not later than four weeks after the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Moscow Deputies for Germany should be convoked to study and discuss problems involved in the German settlement and to prepare a first draft of the settlement. They would be guided in their work by specific directives of the Council of Foreign Ministers and by decisions with respect to the aims and principles, methods, priorities which the Council of Foreign Ministers may agree upon in the Moscow meeting.

2. The Council of Foreign Ministers would invite the Governments of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Byelorussia, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Greece, India, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Ukraine and Yugoslavia to send representatives to associate themselves in these studies and discussions in accordance with procedures hereinafter set forth.

3. The Deputies should form four standing committees with, initially, the following subcommittees:

a) Committee on the Political and Constitutional Structure of Germany.

(1) Subcommittee on Constitutional Structure.

(2) Subcommittee on Democratization.

b) Committee on Territorial Adjustments and Problems.

(1) Subcommittee on Eastern Boundaries and Territorial Adjustments.

(a) Commission of Inquiry to examine into conditions in German territory now under Polish administration.

(2) Subcommittee on Netherlands Territorial Claims.

(3) Subcommittee on the Territorial Claims of Belgium and Luxembourg.

(4) Subcommittee on the Saar.

(5) Subcommittee on Czechoslovak Territorial Claims.

c) Committee on the Economic Organization of Germany and Reparations.

(1) Subcommittee on Economic Organization and Controls.

(2) Subcommittee on Reparations, Level of Industry, Standard of Living.

(3) Subcommittee on Control of the Ruhr.

d) Committee on Disarmament and Demilitarization.

(1) Subcommittee on Duration, Form and Strength of Military Occupation.

(2) Subcommittee on United States Draft Disarmament and Demilitarization Treaty.

4. Representatives of the four Occupying Powers would be the members of, and exercise by rotation the chairmanship of, the standing committees. In addition each Deputy would appoint one member to each committee from among the representatives of the invited Powers. In the discussion and study of particular problems the Deputies jointly may also appoint as additional members experts of countries which are directly interested in a given problem. The Deputies will decide what countries are directly interested in a given problem. The Deputies may appoint additional subcommittees ad hoc which may include representatives of the invited Powers to study particular problems and similarly may appoint and despatch commissions of inquiry to areas under study.

The committees and subcommittees should prepare studies and reports on matters falling within their terms of reference. The work of the committees, subcommittees and commissions would be directed and coordinated by the Deputies.

5. Unless otherwise agreed by the Deputies, the subcommittees would normally consist of four members. Each Deputy would appoint one member. The Deputies may also appoint to membership representatives of countries which are directly interested in a given problem under study.

6. The representatives of the invited Powers would promptly receive copies of all documents emanating from the committees, subcommittees and commissions of inquiry. They would also have the right to present views orally or in writing and to ask questions orally or in writing on the work of the committees, subcommittees and commissions of inquiry. Representatives of all the invited Powers would be admitted when any one of their number was presenting the views of his Government.

7. The Deputies would invite the submission of the views of competent German authorities and experts at the committee level. In the absence of a central German Government such German authorities may include, for example, leaders of approved democratic parties, trade union officials, and officials of the several state or provincial governments.

8. Any state a member of the United Nations and at war with Germany would be given opportunity upon its own request to present to the Deputies at their future meetings its views on the German problem.

9. Concurrently with the work and discussion of the committees, the Deputies would draft the clauses of the instrument, or instruments, of settlement, giving due consideration to the views expressed by the representatives of the invited Powers. Upon completion of a draft text they would submit it for the information of the representatives of the invited Powers. With such changes as they may consider appropriate following consideration of the views of the invited Powers, the Deputies would submit their draft text to the Council of Foreign Ministers.

49. This proposal was first discussed by the Deputies for Germany at their 18th Meeting, February 11, 1947. At this meeting, reported upon in telegram 936, Delsec 1221, February 12, 1947, from London, not printed, Murphy explained that it was the purpose of the United States proposal to obtain the participation of the Allied states on the working level to the greatest extent possible. For this reason, the United States had proposed the participation by Allied representatives in the membership of standing committees working on the various aspects of German problems. The United States was also suggesting a certain degree of German participation. After the Deputies had obtained the benefit of these various views, they would prepare a draft instrument of settlement and submit it to the Council of Foreign Ministers (740.00119 Council/2–1247).