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

740.00119 EW/9–1147: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom ¹⁹

top secret

Washington, September 11, 1947—5 p.m.

3946. Text of State-War telegram (TopSec) to OMGUS on resumption reparation deliveries follows:

“For General Clay and Ambassador Murphy. Following is policy of State and War for resumption of reparation deliveries:

1. No actual deliveries on reparation account to be made until after next CFM meeting other than advance reparations & equipment from war plants being delivered under existing policy.

2. As it is very important not to give any basis for charges that the commitment on this subject given in connection with level of industry announcements not made in good faith, you will prior to next CFM discussions avoid any association of resumption of reparation deliveries with attainment of economic unity.

3. Publication of plant lists should be made as soon as possible. Expected delays in obtaining quadripartite agreement on allocation and valuation mentioned in Gen Clay’s NR 72088²⁰ will be relied upon instead to postpone deliveries until after CFM meeting.

4. All preliminary steps will be taken in US and UK zones so that deliveries can be resumed to certain countries as soon as possible after next CFM meeting.

5. Deliveries to USSR to be suspended indefinitely if economic unity not attained at next CFM meeting. State studying question whether deliveries to Albania, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia should also then be suspended.”

Sent London rptd Paris 3423 and Brussels 1270.

Marshall

19. Telegram 4120, September 24, to London, not printed, asked Ambassador Douglas urgently to assess the feasibility of obtaining British concurrence to the position outlined in this telegram. Should Douglas deem such concurrence obtainable, he was to present the position to the British as soon as possible (740.00119 EW/9–2047).
20. Ante, p. 1059.