Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Central and Southeastern Europe, Volume XXVI

162. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Germany¹

Washington, May 21, 1955—1:54 p.m.

3268. Reference Berlin’s 749 repeated Moscow 197 Bonn 809 Paris 97 London 75 USAREUR 122 CINCEUR 6.²

1. Department concurs in view that:

a) Road toll meetings unsatisfactory.

b) No belligerent public statements for present.

c) Ambassador should discuss suggestions of Army trucks, etc., with General Cook. In this connection would appreciate comments CINCEUR’s EC–9–2464 March 17.³

2. Department believes every effort should be made at this point to reroute all possible cargo from trucks to train and barge with fullest use thirteen train paths.

3. Department pleased to note Hallstein prepared support drastic economic measures against Soviet Zone, and trust his view will prevail.

4. Disagreement at meeting between Soviet High Commissioner and Ambassadors with respect to talks between East and West German officials does not appear insoluble. According to press communiqué⁴Ambassadors proposed talks between experts and according reftel Pushkin indicated that matter was for Germans to discuss. Department has always believed that discussion by Germans at technical level might help solve problem and therefore believes Western Ambassadors should impress upon FedRep officials importance latters’ expressing willingness meet with Soviet Zone authorities on technical level on understanding which now seems well established such meeting would not constitute recognition.

5. Department studying your suggestion re concerted oral presentation Moscow. Before making final decision, however, we will wish to be assured all means solving problem locally have been exhausted. Department does not exclude possibility of need for a further meeting with Pushkin as it sees little or no advantage in transfer of negotiations to a different locus at this time. Department does not favor direct linking of Berlin problem with Four-Power talks at this juncture.

Dulles

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 962A.7162B/5–2055. Secret. Drafted by Lyon, cleared with Beam, and approved by Murphy. Repeated to Heidelberg, Berlin, Moscow, Paris, and London.
2. See footnote 2, Document 160.
3. Not found in Department of State files.
4. For text of the tripartite communiqué issued by the Western Ambassadors following the meeting with Pushkin on May 20, see Department of State Bulletin, June 20, 1955, p. 997.