CFM Files: Lot M–88: Box 121: File—Occupation Statute, Cables: Telegram
The United States Military Governor for Germany (Clay) to the Department of the Army 1
CC–7108. To Dept of Army for CSCAD from CINCEUR signed Clay. The 6th meeting of the French, US, and UK Military Governors took place in Frankfurt on 16 Dec 1948. It was a long 9 hour meeting interrupted in the middle by a conference with representatives from the Parliamentary Assembly concerning which I will advise you by separate cable.2 The formal agenda was as follows:
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5. French Participation in Coal and Steel Control Groups.
Gen Koenig acknowledged Robertson’s and my letter authorizing French participation in the Coal Control Group.3 He raised several points, in particular inquiring why the French member should not participate in the Chairmanship and why the reconstituted Control Group should not answer to the three Military Governors instead of to the Bipartite Board. I informed him that the Ruhr is part of the Bizonal Area and therefore under the control of the Bipartite Board, [Page 573] and that until Trizonal fusion, final decisions affecting the Bizonal Area must be made by the US and UK Military Governors. Should the French member of the Coal Control Group disagree with his colleagues, he would always have the privilege of requesting his Military Governor to raise the matter with Gen Robertson and myself. Such action would have a suspensory effect until Gen Koenig could discuss the matter with us.
Gen Koenig requested French participation in the negotiations on organization of Steel Control Group. Robertson and I agreed.
Gen Koenig stated that his government wanted to lodge a protest concerning those provisions of Military Government Law 75 on the reorganization of the Ruhr properties4 whereby corporations 50% owned by UN nationals were not exempt from reorganization. I informed him we had discussed this point previously with him and that my government by express action had deleted the Stinnes combination which is 100% American owned from the list of those properties not subject to this law. He thereupon stated that his government might take up this matter with the US and UK Governments.
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- For another portion of this message, dealing with the discussion of the draft occupation statute, see p. 640.↩
- General Clay’s message is not printed; regarding the meeting of the Military Governors with the Parliamentary Council Delegation, see pp. 641 and 646.↩
- In a letter of December 8, 1948, to General Koenig, not printed, General Clay and General Robertson confirmed that arrangements had been made for the entrance of representatives of the French Military Government into the Combined Coal Control Group. The letter explained that the French representative would become a member of the Board of the Coal Control Group with full voting rights. Pending the full fusion of the French Zone with the Bizone, however, the chairmanship of the Board would continue to alternate between the U.S. and U.K. members.↩
- Regarding Law No. 75 under reference here, see the editorial note, p. 465.↩