462A. 62B 31/9–1251: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State 1 to the Office of the United States High Commissioner for Germany, at Frankfurt 2

secret   priority

1835. Ref: 1. Bonn’s 165 sent Fkft 237, Berlin 37, Paris 62, London 59, Moscow 13, 2. Berlin’s 397 sent Fkft 476, rptd Bonn 172. 3. Berlin’s 401, sent Fkft 480, Bonn 174, Paris, 143, Moscow 97.3

A. Dept regrets that countermeasures on East Zone barge and vehicle traffic not already in effect, since pressure of such measures wld in our view enhance considerably our chances obtaining satis from East. Western hesitance or vacillation has never gained anything from Sovs except more trouble. If agmt not reached between East and West Gers by Sept. 17, suggest you propose imposition soonest such measures (countertaxes of comparable magnitude on East Ger barges in West Berlin and engaged in interzonal traffic and on East Zone vehicles in FedRep).

B. Re proposed mixed Comite to investigate doubtful Warenbegleitscheine cases, wld not assurance re Western origin of goods be tantamount to certificate of origin requirement? Wld goods be held pending such assurances? We do not feel that we can in any way recognize right on part of Sovs or East Gers to stop or delay movement any goods West Berlin to West without our concurrence. Dept wld not however object to mixed Comite established to investigate illegal trade, provided only Western members could hold up movement goods from West Berlin to West.

D. [sic] Dept objects to road tax on grounds of (1) unreasonable magnitude, and (2) discrimination, since tax applicable only to FedRep and West Berlin vehicles. Since we regard point (1) as most important, we believe discriminatory aspects shld be removed if possible, but wld not insist settlement this portion issue if it remained only outstanding problem.

We feel, of course, that tax shld be reduced to maximum extent before sig agmt.

Webb
  1. Secretary Acheson was in Ottawa for the seventh session of the North Atlantic Council; regarding its meetings, see pp. 616 ff.
  2. This telegram, drafted by Rogers and Montenegro and cleared by Riley and Laukhuff, was repeated to Bonn, Berlin, London, Paris, and Moscow.
  3. None printed; they reported on a meeting of the Berlin Deputy Commandants on September 12 and on meetings between the East and West Germans on September 12 and 13 at which no progress was made. (462A.62B31/9–1251, 398.10–GDC/9–1251 and 462A.62B31/9–1351)