No. 36
[Enclosure]
The Soviet
Government to the Governments
of the United States, United Kingdom, and France
[Washington, April 3, 1949.]
From the joint communiqué of the Governments of the U.S.A., Great
Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, [Page 445] made public on March
26, 1949, the Soviet Government has become aware of the decision
of the Governments of the said states concerning the changing of
the Western boundaries of Germany and the annexation of a part
of German territory to the territories of France, Belgium, the
Netherlands and Luxembourg.
The Soviet Government considers it necessary to call the
attention of the Governments of the United States of America,
Great Britain, and France to the fact that in the “Declaration
regarding the defeat of Germany,” signed June 5, 1945, by the
Governments of the U.S.S.R., the U.S.A., Great Britain, and
France it was definitely stated that these Governments “will
determine the boundaries of Germany or any part thereof and the
status of Germany or of any area at present being part of German
Territory.” It follows from this that a change of the boundaries
of German territory which is under the control of the four
powers can be effected only upon a joint decision of the
Governments of the U.S.S.R., the U.S.A., Great Britain, and
France, which assumed the supreme power in regard to
Germany.
In accordance with the foregoing, the Soviet Government considers
it necessary to inform the Governments of the U.S.A., Great
Britain, and France that it considers as illegal the changes in
the Western boundaries of Germany made by the Governments of the
U.S.A., Great Britain, and France in violation of the
“declaration regarding the defeat of Germany.”
