303. Telegram From the Delegation to the Foreign Ministers Meeting to the Department of State0
Secto 43. Fourth Session Foreign Ministers Conference began 3:30 p.m. May 14. Couve de Murville, who was in chair, stated US representative had requested to speak, as well as representatives East Germany and of Federal Republic. He suggested latter two could be heard after Secretary’s statement and any comments thereon others wished to make.
Secretary then spoke, giving introductory statement on Western peace plan and then reading plan in full. (Text of Secretary’s remarks and plan sent separately by USIS.)1
Couve and Lloyd in their turn stressed that peace plan was effort of all three Western powers and they associated their governments with plan and with Secretary’s remarks thereon. Lloyd urged Soviets to regard plan as serious effort to meet Soviet views and to bridge gap between us.
Couve then gave floor to Dr. Bolz. Bolz stated he spoke “on behalf GDR, her govt and her people.”2 At several points he stressed he was speaking as representative German people. He said German people want peace and claimed GDR has no revanchist aims. GDR wants to work for peace and to end division of Germany. Preparation of peace treaty is best and shortest way to end division of Germany and to bring two Germanies closer together. Also, peace treaty cannot overlook solution of Berlin problem.
Bolz said GDR plan includes confederation of two German states and envisages conversations between the two German states, which Bolz said “are inevitable.”
Bolz stated two delegations from two German states now are seated at similar tables and are on similar footing at conference. GDR Delegation is ready to discuss with Delegation from Federal Republic all measures concerning peace treaty and creation unified Democratic German state.
[Page 705]Dr. Grewe then spoke for Federal Republic.3 He expressed warm support for Western peace plan which he said Federal Republic had helped to shape. Grewe stressed that reunification of great German people is indispensible prerequisite to any settlement of German problem, which cannot be made in isolation.
Federal Republic supports concept of freely negotiated peace treaty, which requires freely elected all-German Govt.
Grewe agreed with Gromyko’s statement yesterday that normalization of situation in Berlin and in Germany is necessary. This is also aim of Federal Republic. However, Federal Republic cannot agree with Soviets when they say that division of Germany must be recognized as realistic fact. This is unnatural situation; German people must be reunited, must determine own form govt, must have self-determination.
Grewe said that West has made concession to Soviet viewpoint in presenting plan in which German elections are postponed. Federal Republic agreed to this with certain apprehension, but did so in order to make positive contribution to solution of problem.
Secretary then spoke, referring to statements by Gromyko and Bolz re existence of two states in Germany. Secretary emphasized that, in US view, there is only one govt in Germany entitled to speak for the German people. This is Federal Republic of Germany, which rests on mandate of free elections. US agreement to presence and statements by representatives so-called GDR can in no way be construed as recognition by US of GDR. Representatives latter are at conference only as advisors. Gromyko rejoined that, whether US likes it or not, there are two German states—GDR and FedRep—and this cannot change no matter what title is given to representative of GDR at conference.4 After Couve supported Secretary’s statement re non-recognition GDR,5 and Lloyd said he had nothing further to add to his previous remarks on this subject, meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/5–1559. Official Use Only. Also sent to Berlin and USUN and repeated to Bonn, London, Moscow, and Paris. The U.S. Delegation verbatim record of the session, US/VR 4 (Corrected), and summary of the verbatim record, US/VRS/4, May 14, are ibid., Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1345 and 1349.↩
- For Herter’s statement, circulated as RM/DOC/8 and 7, May 14, see Foreign Ministers Meeting, pp. 50–60; Cmd. 868, pp. 218–223; or Department of State Bulletin, June 1, 1959, pp. 776–781. Regarding the Western Peace Plan, see footnote 1, Document 295.↩
- For text of Bolz’ statement, circulated as RM/DOC/A/1, June 4, see Foreign Ministers Meeting, pp. 564–565 or Cmd. 868, pp. 177–178.↩
- For text of Grewe’s statement, circulated as RM/DOC/A/6, June 6, see Foreign Ministers Meeting, pp. 533–535 or Cmd. 868, pp. 179–181.↩
- For text of Gromyko’s statement as recorded in the U.S. Delegation verbatim record, see Foreign Ministers Meeting, pp. 61–62.↩
- For text of Couve de Murville’s statement, circulated as RM/DOC/36, June 10, see ibid., p. 62.↩