740.00119 Council/11–1149: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Acting Secretary of State
4724. From Secretary. Following is text of directive to US, UK and French High Commissioners on general questions concerning Germany approved by three Foreign Ministers in session concluded early this morning.
“Conclusions of the Tripartite Meeting Held in Paris on November 9 and 10. Directive to the High Commissioners.
i. general lines of policy towards germany
- (1)
- This directive is intended to establish a programme for the development of allied policy in Germany which aims eventually at creating a more normal situation in Germany and at the establishment [Page 307] of more normal relations between Germany and other countries subject to these measures which are necessary for security, including the retention of supreme authority.
- (2)
- The occupation statute will remain in force until reviewed.
- (3)
- Meanwhile the ground for a smooth evolution should be prepared by a programme for 1950 which will include measures outlined in the following paragraph.
ii. association of germany with the western world
(A) Council of Europe.
The admission of Germany to the Council of Europe as an associate member has already obtained support in principle in the Committee of Ministers. It has been approved by the standing committee of the assembly and also by the three Ministers at this meeting. Final decision on the point is expected at the next meeting of the Committee of Ministers. It is hoped that before then the governments may be able to advise the high commissioners that they can inform the Federal Chancellor that a request for admission as an associate member could opportunely be made together with the necessary declarations accepting the basic principles on the statute of the Council of Europe.
(B) International organizations.
The Ministers gave approval in principle to the report of a working party set up in Washington to examine the question of German participation in certain international bodies.1 The high commissioners will take this report as a guide and will, in conjunction with the German Federal Government, examine each proposal for the participation of Germany in an international body on its merits. In addition to the bodies listed in the working party’s report, Ministers decided that consideration should be given to the admission of Germany to the Central Rhine Commission on the basis of the Mannheim Convention of 1868.
iii. the saar
For the information of the high commissioners, the Ministers recorded that they could agree with the admission of the Saar territory with the Council of Europe as an associate member on the understanding that the definitive status of the Saar shall await the peace settlement.
iv. german internal problems
(A) Germany’s representation abroad.
The high commissioners should inform the Federal Chancellor that they are authorized to permit the gradual establishment by the German Federal Republic of consular and commercial representatives in those countries which are prepared to receive them. They may also approve the authorization of a bureau, probably forming part of the Federal Chancellor’s office, to control these officials and to coordinate instructions to German representatives attending international organizations and conventions. These measures do not affect the powers reserved to the high commission in the field of foreign affairs.
[Page 308](B) Termination of the state of war.
The Foreign Ministers decided that each government concerned including the Benelux and Commonwealth nations should examine the problem and exchange views preparatory to an eventual meeting of a committee of jurists. In the event that this question is raised by the Federal Chancellor, the high commissioners will inform him that the continuation of the state of war involves technical and legal problems of a very complicated nature. They may further advise him in strict confidence that the Ministers have decided to have this question examined carefully by jurists; at the same time they should warn him that at the present time the legal difficulties appear to be considerable.
(C) Attitude to the so-called German democratic republic.
The Foreign Ministers agreed that it was desirable that the governments of the Western world should adopt a common attitude towards the so-called German democratic republic and should as far as possible avoid any action involving the express or implied recognition of that republic as a de facto or de jure government. They agreed that when the permanent commission in London of the Brussels Treaty powers considers the problems arising from trade agreements between the Soviet Zone of Germany and other countries, or other matters which might raise the question of such recognition, the United States Government should send a representative to the meetings. They also agreed that the United States Government and the governments represented on the permanent commission would if necessary make representations to other interested Western European Governments.
Finally the Foreign Ministers agreed that the high commissioners should inform the Federal Government of the Ministers’ concern in regard to this problem and use their influence to assure that the action of the Federal Government conformed.”
Sent Department 4724; repeated London 816.
- Not printed.↩