411. Memorandum of Conversation Between Secretary of State Herter and Foreign Secretary Lloyd0
We discussed the present status of contingency planning. I raised the question of the possible admissibility of German guards at check points in the light of the paper which we presented to the Russians.1 We both agreed this should be restudied for contingency planning purposes since it would be much simpler to insist on the continuance of present procedures with German guards than to make the issue one of the type of stamping now being done by Russian guards. With respect to probes, Selwyn Lloyd said that the British preferred Norstad’s second alternative for the initial probe and that they were unwilling to make final commitments with respect to a military probe of reinforced battalion or divisional strength, feeling that the matter would undoubtedly be before the United Nations at that stage. We also agreed that the matter should go before the UN immediately upon the signing of a separate peace treaty between Russia and East Germany.
[Page 932]On the matter of harassment, Selwyn felt strongly that economic measures were not good enough and, in the case of the British, would lead to their biting off their nose to spite their face. He did, however, feel that overt military preparations by each of us would be the most effective method of harassment.
- Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 560, CF 1340. Secret. Drafted by Herter. The meeting was held at Villa Greta.↩
- For text of this June 16 paper, see Foreign Ministers Meeting, pp. 312–313; Cmd. 868, pp. 237–238; or Documents on Germany, 1944–1945, pp. 665–666.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩