740.00119 Control (Germany)/12–648
Record Prepared by the United States Political Adviser for Germany (Murphy) of a Meeting Between the American and British Military Governors and the Ministers President of the Bizonal (U.S–U.K.) Area1
Herr Luedemann, Minister President of Schleswig–Holstein, expressed the Minister Presidents’ appreciation for the action taken by the Western Allies in Berlin.
[Here follows a discussion of the problem of supplying food to West Berlin. For documentation on the Berlin situation, see pages 867 ff.]
The Ministers President brought up the subject of the Parliamentary Council now meeting at Bonn, stating that they had done everything in their power to facilitate the work of the Council allowing it full freedom in carrying out its work. However, after carefully observing the work over a period of weeks, the Ministers President admitted to a feeling of growing anxiety regarding the progress of the work which they want expedited. Herr Luedemann stated that they would request an assurance that more rapid progress be made and will (approach the President, Adenauer, on this matter immediately. The Military Governors concurred. Herr Luedemann stated that the Ministers President had hoped that elections could possibly be held in December. He had noted that Carlo Schmid had estimated that the work could be finished by December 15 but the Ministers President doubt it and therefore intend to request Adenauer for assurance that December 15 will be the deadline. The Ministers President estimated that after the Military Governors had approved the text of the new constitutions that about two months would be required for ratification and elections. There was a lengthy discussion regarding the form of ratification to be adopted—whether by popular referendum or by referendum to the Landtag. It was noted that the US and UK prefer the popular referendum whereas the French prefer the referendum by the Landtag. The US prefers to leave the matter to the individual Laender. No decision was reached on this point which remains unsettled.
[The remainder of the discussion was concerned with frontier control and the activities of foreigners in Germany.]
- The source text was transmitted to the Department under cover of a brief letter of December 6 from Ambassador Murphy to Jacob Beam, not printed. The source text does not indicate the names of participants in the meeting.↩