Conference files, lot 60 D 627, CF 205
No. 409
Minutes of a Meeting of the United
States Delegation at the Berlin Conference, February 3, 1954,
9:30 a.m.
USDEL MIN–7
- Present: The Secretary
- Special Advisers
- Advisers
Press Reaction
In response to the Secretary’s request for a summary of press reactions, Mr. Tyler reported that the general tone of the French press was becoming more pessimistic as to a successful outcome for the Conference. The Secretary’s speech of yesterday received a heavier play in the French press than Mr. Bidault’s speech.1 [Page 938] While the U.S. position was fully and favorably presented, there is a general feeling that the Conference was bogging down. The Secretary’s speech was said to have had an overwhelming effect on the persons present in the conference room and on the Western press.
Mr. MacArthur said that he had received a report that the French press briefing officer had characterized the Secretary’s speech as a major polemic, although this had been denied by members of the French Delegation. In view of reports of similar antics on the part of the officers briefing the French press, it was the general view that steps should be taken informally to correct this situation.
With respect to the German press, Mr. Boerner said the general tone was that the “honeymoon is over”, although some hope is held out that progress can be achieved in the restricted sessions of the Ministers. The SPD papers are following the line that the West should not reject the Molotov plan2 since it is probably the first negotiating position of the Soviets. Rather, the West should explore the plan fully since it might lead to negotiations which would be acceptable to the German people. However, an SPD paper in Berlin took a different line to the effect that the Molotov plan would put Germany in chains before all-German elections. This paper believed that the West had given the right reply to Molotov, but expressed the hope that the Conference would soon get down to business. The article concluded with a statement that Germany did not wish to be ground between two opposing blocks. Mr. Boerner continued that the Bundestag yesterday adopted a resolution to the effect that the Molotov proposals were totally unacceptable. Reports from information coverage in the field indicated that most German papers held little hope for genuine progress in the talks. The East Zone and Communist press coverage of the Secretary’s speech was completely distorted. The Communist press briefing passed over the speech and stressed the aggressive nature of EDC.
Ambassador Conant summarized his conversation with a ranking SPD leader yesterday, whose response to the Western position on all-German elections and the formation of an all-German government was gratifying. In substance, the SPD leader: 1) believed that all Germans would agree that the elections must be supervised; 2) was pleased with the concept of the continuation of supervision after the elections in order to prevent pre-election pressure on voters in the East Zone or post-election reprisals; and 3) believed that the question of Germany’s relationships with the East and West should be decided by the freely elected German Government. [Page 939] As a result, Ambassador Conant felt that the Western position was strong and would commend itself to most Germans.
Mr. Jackson stated that the weekend press in the U.S. was good although many papers continued to harp on the fact that Molotov’s real intentions are unknown. In the stories filed by the wire services last night, the correspondents felt that the West had punched back hard and effectively at Molotov. There continues to be little expectation for a successful outcome of the Conference.
Tripartite Working Group
Mr. MacArthur announced that the Tripartite Working Group would meet at 10:30 a.m. and would discuss primarily the question of Austria and tactics to be followed in today’s quadripartite meeting.3 The Secretary then added that he would meet with Messrs. Eden and Bidault at 11:30 a.m. at Mr. Eden’s residence.4
Security Precautions at the Unter Den Linden Building
Mr. Herfurt reported that the security precautions on the part of the U.S. delegation at the Unter den Linden Building have been effective to date. He and his staff were continuing to work closely with the British and French to improve the general security arrangements. It was noted that as a natural reaction, delegation members would tend to relax the longer meetings are being held in the Unter den Linden Building. Therefore, measures would be taken to remind delegation members to maintain the highest possible level of security.
- For Secretary Dulles’ speech at the eighth plenary meeting, see Secto 70, Document 407. For a summary of Bidault’s statement, see Secto 73, Document 405.↩
- For text of the Molotov plan, see FPM(54)24, Document 512.↩
- For a report on the meeting of the Tripartite Working Group, see BER MIN–10, infra.↩
- For a report on the Tripartite Ministers meeting at 11:30 a.m., see the memorandum by MacArthur, Document 411.↩