740.00119 Control (Germany)/4–2149
The British Embassy to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
At a meeting which members of this Embassy had last evening at the State Department,1 the hope was expressed that, as a result of a message which had been sent to General Clay earlier that day, he would now agree to the delivery of the message from the three Foreign Ministers to the Germans on the subject of the Basic Law. It is learned this morning that General Clay still declines to deliver the message.
In the view of His Majesty’s Government, the position could not be more unsatisfactory. Mr. Bevin has instructed this Embassy to say that he finds it difficult to believe that after the three Foreign Ministers had met and agreed in Washington, with the approval of their Governments, to act together, the United States Government will continue to allow their Military Governor to maintain his present attitude. Mr. [Page 248] Bevin desires to explain that he is under great pressure in London on this matter and will find it difficult to explain why the Socialist Party were allowed to come to definite conclusions in Hannover2 in ignorance of the agreed views of the Foreign Ministers.
Mr. Bevin, accordingly, requests urgently that the Washington agreement on this point be put into effect without further delay. He-requests the assurance, that instructions will be sent to General Clay to deliver the message from the Foreign Ministers not later than tomorrow, April 22nd.