Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, European Security and the German Question, Volume III, Part 2

662A.62B/2–1551: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Office of the United States High Commissioner for Germany, at Frankfurt¹

secret
niact

Washington, February 17, 1951—2 p. m.

5670. 1. Dept fully concurs your view that HICOM shld promptly support upcoming Bundestag resolution (Fkft’s 6749 Feb 15, rptd Bonn 229, Berlin 461, London 562, Paris 620, Moscow unnumbered²).

2. Likewise agree with your aims 1, 2, 3 and 5.

3. In light of difficulties experienced in finding common tripartite approach in notes to Sov re Four Power mtg,³ and development our thinking re handling Western case, Dept considers better not to try to relate this problem to broad context as proposed your point 4. Language used in penultimate para your statement fails to accomplish purpose, in any event, because of vagueness and wld confuse rather than broaden issue.

4. Dept sees no reason to play into Sov demand for CFM by implying problem of unification shld be reserved for some indefinite future mtg. Believe our purposes better served and initiative better regained by appearing to renew demand for talks with SCC.

5. Such talks cld not possibly lead to “all-German talks” before Four Power mtg, as at least six mos wld have to precede natl election even if agreed to.

6. Feel your text is overly general and creates impression that our goodwill evaporates into propaganda. Dept feels shorter text coming right back with renewal of former proposals and taking Fed Rep Govt off hook is preferable.

7. Believe greater impression sincerity and active effort wld be created by changing statement into ltr to Chuikov and releasing it to press shortly after delivery. Dept therefore requests you to propose to Fr and Brit despatch of following ltr upon receipt Bundestag resolution:

“Allied High Commission has received from Bundestag of Ger Fed Rep a resolution of Feb ——— which calls on four Powers to reach agreement under which whole of Ger people may participate through free elections in formation of a representative all-Ger govt as a prerequisite for unification of Ger. The resolution has been forwarded by High Commissioners to their respective govts. In likewise transmitting resolution to you, I shld like to draw your attention to ltrs sent to you by High Commissioners on May 25 and Oct 9, 1950, which remain unanswered. In those ltrs Allied High Commissioners, in support of previous Bundestag resolutions, proposed that reps of four powers arrange for the formation of a national Ger govt in accordance with conditions outlined by FonMins of US, UK and Fr at their mtg in London in May 1950.

It is responsibility and duty of four powers to arrange for unification of Ger in response to desires of Ger people and in full consultation with the freely elected reps of those people. Until natl elections have been held under conditions of full freedom, planning and consultation can obviously not go forward on an All-Ger level since the Sov Zone has no reps free to reflect Ger interests and will of Ger people.

High Commission agrees with Bundestag that in interests of secure and lasting plan for uniting country, no compromise can be made of principle that free elections must be first step in order to provide a body which can debate a constitution. Unless Soviet Control Commission, which retains supreme authority in Sov Zone will agree to demand for a democratic natl order in Ger, it is obvious that none of their Ger spokesmen can or will agree. In order that these legitimate Ger aspirations might be realized and the tensions arising from the continuing division of Ger might be relieved, the FonMins drew up the London principles for Ger unity. If, therefore, you will accept these simple fundamental conditions for Ger unification, both polit and econ, way will be open for an arrangement leading to elections.”

8. If such a ltr can be agreed and sent, its release to press shld be accompanied by release again of text of “statement on Ger unity” agreed at London, May 1950.

9. You can, of course, make minor modifications in above text. However, in view of importance of such ltr in our general strategy, you shld refer agreed HICOM text to Dept for final approval.⁴

Acheson

1. This telegram, drafted by Laukhuff and cleared by Lewis, Matthews, and Bonbright, was repeated to Bonn, Paris, London, and Moscow.
2. Supra.
3. For documentation on the exchange of notes with the Soviet Union regarding a Four-Power meeting, see pp. 1048 ff.
4. The text of this letter was discussed by the political advisers to the High Commissioners on February 21. The British and French agreed that the Bundestag resolution should be transmitted to Chuikov under cover of a High Commission letter agreeing with the Bundestag principles and agreed that the letter should set forth the principle of Allied responsibility for elections and German unity, but both were hesitant to repeat the offer for elections on the same terms as before just prior to a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers. McCloy reported this in telegram 556 from Bonn, February 21, not printed (662A.62B/2–2151).