Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Germany and Austria, Volume VII, Part 1

662.001/4–1052

No. 82
The Soviet Ministry for Foreign Affairs to the Embassy of the United States ¹

confidential
No. 14

[ Moscow ,] April 9, 1952.

In connection with the note of the Government of the USA of March 25² of this year the Soviet Government considers it necessary to state the following.

In its note of March 10³ the Soviet Government suggested to the Government of the USA and also to the Governments of Great Britain and France that the question of a peace treaty with Germany be discussed without delay in order that an agreed draft of the peace treaty might be prepared at the earliest possible date. With a view to facilitating the preparation of a peace treaty the Soviet Government presented a draft of bases for a peace treaty with Germany, expressing agreement also to discuss any other suggestion.

The Soviet Government suggested in this connection that a peace treaty be worked out with the immediate participation of Germany in the form of an all-German government. In the note of March 10 it was foreseen also that the USSR, the USA, Great Britain and France, fulfilling occupation functions in Germany, should review the question of conditions favorable to the earliest possible formation of an all-German government expressing the will of the German people.

Introducing its suggestion with regard to the question of a peace treaty with Germany and the formation of an all-German government, the Soviet Government proceeded on the basis of the fact that the solution of these basic questions has great significance for strengthening peace in Europe and corresponds to the requirements of a just attitude toward the legitimate national interests of the German people.

The urgency of the conclusion of a peace treaty with Germany creates the necessity for the Governments of the USSR, the USA, Great Britain, and France to take immediate measures for the unification of Germany and the formation of an all-German government.

In this connection the Soviet Government considers it necessary that the Governments of the USSR, the USA, Great Britain, and France discuss without delay the question of conducting free all-German elections as was suggested earlier. Recognition on the part of the Governments of the USSR, the USA, Great Britain, and France of the necessity of conducting free all-German elections will create the full possibility of conducting such elections in the very near future.

With regard to the suggestion concerning the future free all-German elections in the matter of having the UN Commission verify the existence of conditions for such elections, this suggestion is in contradiction to the UN Charter which in accordance with Article 107 excludes UN interference in German affairs. Such a verification could be conducted by the Commission formed by the four powers fulfilling occupation functions in Germany.

The Government of the USA had an opportunity to acquaint itself with the draft of the bases of a peace treaty with Germany proposed by the Soviet Government. The Government of the USA did not express agreement to enter into the discussion of this draft and did not propose its own draft of a peace treaty.

In the meantime the Government of the USA introduced a series of objections to specific points of the Soviet draft of bases for a peace treaty with Germany which involves a further exchange of notes between the governments and a delay in deciding the questions in dispute which could have been avoided by direct discussion between the powers. Inasmuch, however, as such questions are presented in the USA note of March 25, the Soviet Government considers it necessary to dwell on these questions.

In the Soviet draft of bases for a peace treaty with Germany it is stated: “Germany shall obligate herself not to enter into any coalitions or military alliances directed against any power which took part with its armed forces in the war against Germany.”

The Soviet Government suggests that such a proposal is in accord with the interests of the powers fulfilling occupation functions in Germany and of neighboring powers, and in equal measures with the interests of Germany itself as a peace-loving and democratic state. In such a suggestion there is no inadmissible limitation on the sovereign rights of the German Government. But this suggestion also excludes the inclusion of Germany in any group of powers directed against any peace-loving state.

In the Soviet draft of a peace treaty with Germany it is stated:

“Germany shall be permitted to have those national armed forces (land, air, and sea) of her own necessary for the defense of the country.”

As is well known, the Soviet Government introduced similar suggestions also concerning the draft of a peace treaty with Japan. Such a suggestion is in accord with the principle of national sovereignty and equal rights between states. It is impossible to imagine such a position whereby Japan would have the right to its national armed forces designed for the defense of the country while Germany would be deprived of this right and would be placed in a worse position. There cannot be any doubt that in the interest of peace, as well as in the interest of the German nation, it will be much better to create such armed forces than to create in West Germany hireling troops, bent on revenge, headed by Fascist-Hitlerite generals ready to engulf Europe in a third world war.

With regard to the German frontiers the Soviet Government considers quite sufficient and definitive the Potsdam Conference provisions in this connection which were accepted by the Government of the USA as well as by the Governments of the USSR and Great Britain, and to which France acceded.

The Soviet Government proposes anew to the Government of the USA to enter, together with the Governments of Great Britain and France, into a discussion of a peace treaty with Germany and also the question of the unification of Germany and the creation of an all-German government. The Soviet Government does not see any basis for delaying the decision of these questions.

At this very time the question is being decided as to whether Germany will be re-established as a united, independent, peace-loving state, entering into the family of the peace-loving peoples of Europe, or whether the division of Germany and the concomitant threat of war in Europe will remain.

The Soviet Government is simultaneously sending similar notes to the Governments of Great Britain and France.

1. The source text is a translation prepared in the Division of Language Services in the Department of State. It was attached to an informal translation prepared in the Embassy in Moscow and transmitted in telegram 1644, Apr. 10, and should be compared for minor textual differences with the text printed in Department of State Bulletin, May 26, 1952, pp. 819–820. The Russian language text was transmitted as an enclosure to despatch 689 from Moscow, Apr. 15. (662.001/4–1552) It is also printed in Izvestiia, Mar. 11, 1952, and in SSSR s GDR , pp. 205–207.
2. Regarding this note, see telegram 1529, Document 79.
3. Document 65.