462A.62B9/6–1051: Telegram

The Acting Director of the Berlin Element of HICOG ( Jones ) to the Office of the United States High Commissioner for Germany, at Frankfurt 1

secret   priority

1666. For ECA. Reftel Berlin 706 rptd Department 9960 London 885 Paris 1014 Moscow 121.2 Three Western Allied Commandants met with Reuter and economic senator Eich this morning at Reuter’s [Page 1837] request to discuss Soviet restrictions Berlin-West shipments. M. de Noblet, French acting chairman, read to Reuter Council decisions reported reftel. He also asked Reuter what steps had been taken by city to stop certification origin raw materials as requested by Commandants.

Reuter replied that trade was moving satisfactorily, that 60% of our shipments were on Warenbegleitscheine only and 40% on Warenbegleitscheine plus certificate of origin. Soviets were requiring certificates mainly on non-ferrous products and sugar products. He accepted Council decision reluctantly indicating that in his opinion time was not ripe, that it would be better to muddle along five or six months longer until Berlin was in stronger position.

Present time was psychologically bad because confidence of West in Berlin’s relative normalcy just beginning to be restored would receive shock. In short, was this the time to rock the boat if arrangements could in fact be made to keep trade flowing.

Commandants pointed out Berlin’s whole position perilled if Allies accepted clear cut violation of New York and Paris agreements and that principle of those agreements must be maintained.

It was agreed Reuter would tomorrow (June 11) give his staff instructions to submit no further certificates of origin to Soviets with Warenbegleitseheine, Soviets to be informed this was being done on instructions of the three Western Allied Commandants. Individual letters of protest from Commandants to Dengin would also be sent tomorrow as soon as French obtained clearance. Also agreed no publicity would be given to letter at least until Dengin provided opportunity to reply. However, background information would be supplied correspondents Tuesday.

Commandants in private discussion after Reuter departure agreed date of Tuesday June 12 for initiation counter measures too early in view fact Dengin would not receive letter until late Monday and it was further suggested that strongly recommended counter measures be imposed simultaneously in Berlin and in West.3

Jones
  1. Repeated to Washington, Bonn, Paris, London, and Moscow. The source text is the copy in the Department of State files.
  2. Not printed. In the middle of May the Soviet authorities had begun to refuse to stamp Warenbegleitscheine (interzonal trade permits), causing trade between West Berlin and the Federal Republic almost to cease. The telegram under reference reported on a special session of the Council of the Allied High Commission on June 8 at which countermeasures against this Soviet interference were considered. At the meeting François-Poncet “expressed fear new blockade might develop” if countermeasures were imposed “and underlined French desire to delay full scale western allied counter-measures.” Kirkpatrick disagreed with the French view stating “that if a blockade were developing, all more reason to take vigorous counter-measure action.” The Council agreed to instruct Reuter to stop supplying certificates of origin for goods despatched from the Western sectors of Berlin, requested the Berlin Commandants to prepare a letter of protest to Dengin for Council approval, and instructed the Commandants to stop all shipments from the Western sectors of Berlin to the Soviet Zone if the situation had not improved by June 12. (462B.62A9/6–851)
  3. On June 13 the Department of State approved the courses of action outlined in this telegram, and while stating its feeling that countermeasures were essential, left the time of application to the discretion of HICOG. (Telegram 8467 to Frankfurt, June 13, 462A.62B9/6–1351)