762A.0221/10–1854: Telegram
The Acting United States High Commissioner for Germany (Parkman) to the Department of State 1
263. Both British and French Foreign Mins have now answered Mayor Schreiber’s congratulatory msg (Berlin’s 268 to Bonn rptd to Dept 2462).
Brit answered in terms of praise for spirit of Berliners. French reiterated London guarantee and referred vaguely to fulfillment of Berlin’s hopes for the future.
One possibility would be that Secretary express in his reply US desire see development of new status for Berlin resulting from friendly consultation with Berliners and giving them greatest possible measure of self-govt consistent with the special status of city. However, in final analysis we conclude that the parties with whom we will be negotiating re Berlin’s future status will be fundamentally our allies—and particularly French—and not the Berliners. Therefore, it may be unwise to answer Schreiber in terms which wld irritate certainly the French and perhaps to some extent Brit as well, while at same time not achieving sufficient compensating good-will advantages from Berliners. Indeed, not likely this letter will receive major publicity since Berliners have few doubts about sincerity US intentions re Berlin.
In conclusion we, therefore, favor a brief answer re-affirming our admiration for the spirit of the Berliners and giving the assurance that those occupation responsibilities which must be retained in the common interest of the Gers and the Allies will be exercised in a manner which recognizes both this community of interest and the desire and capacity of the Berliners to govern themselves insofar as the unfortunate isolation of their city allows.