740.00119 Council/5–2849: Telegram
The United States Delegation at the Council of Foreign Ministers to the Acting Secretary of State
Delsec. 1811. Interesting confirmation of main Soviet objectives in this conference was obtained by thoroughly reliable American correspondent from Zhukov Pravda correspondent with whom he had lunch today. Zhukov apparently very frank in stating that chief objective of Soviet Union at this conference was to obtain a renewal on freest possible basis of trade between Western and Eastern zones; that Soviet Government did not believe possible and did not desire political unification of Germany but maintenance of status quo in political sphere. Zhukov complained that Western delegates must know that Soviet Government could not discuss Soviet reparations and Soviet AG’s since they could answer neither yes or no on these questions. He rather played down importance of four-power control as a practical matter although admitting Soviet Government strongly desired revival of Allied Control Commission. He seemed to envisage principle of four-power control without much expectation that it would be practically operative on four-power basis in either Western zones or: Eastern zone. Zhukov’s views tended to confirm impression (with exception of attitude re four-power control) which we have received so far. Russians seem to be seeking merely modus vivendi at this conference and not seriously contemplating unification of Germany.