740.00119 Council/5–2148: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom

top secret   us urgent
niact

1877. For Douglas from Lovett. Proceed along lines indicated urtel 2214,1 endeavoring to persuade French and checking British position re your suggestion concurred in by Clay, Murphy and Reber. Do not commit us as we need time to get top level clearance here.

Assume Clay has taken into account that announcement concerning provisional govt may give Soviets excuse to intensify pressure in Berlin, also that US and British Delegations feel danger of delay in Germany is greater than risks involved in Soviet reaction.2 [Lovett.]

Marshall
  1. May 21, p. 266.
  2. In telegram 2233, May 24, from London, not printed, Ambassador Douglas confirmed that the assumptions stated here were correct (740.00119 Council/5–2448).