185. Memorandum of Conversation0
MEETING OF CHIEFS OF STATE AND HEADS OF GOVERNMENT
PARTICIPANTS
- United States
- The Secretary
- Secretary Gates
- Mr. Merchant
- Mr. Irwin
- Mr. Kohler
- Mr. Hillenbrand
- France
- Foreign Minister Couve de Murville
- Ambassador Alphand
- M. Jean Laloy
- M. Bruno De Leusse
- M. Geoffrey de Courcel
- United Kingdom
- Foreign Secretary Selwyn Lloyd
- Sir Derek Hoyer Millar
- Sir Gladwyn Jebb
- Sir Anthony Rumbold
- Mr. John Drinkall
- Mr. Hillock
- Mr. Thompson
SUBJECT
- Berlin Contingency Planning
Couve opened the meeting by saying that the paper prepared earlier in the day by the Tripartite Working Group1 summarizing the present state of Berlin Contingency Planning was a good one and that there was not really much for the Ministers to discuss. The Secretary said he had one point to make, namely, that the language in Section V of the paper relevant to plans for a Berlin airlift should not be construed to mean that a decision had already been taken to mount such an airlift but merely that the relevant plans for one existed.
As to the paragraph on UN action, Couve made the point that a decision on submission of the Berlin problem to the UN could only be taken in the light of the circumstances at the appropriate time, particularly the state of public opinion and the general atmosphere. Lloyd noted that at that time the Governments would also have to consider whether they wished to carry the action over into the General Assembly. [Page 488] In response to Lloyd’s query as to whether any thought had been given as to what the UN might do if an appeal were made to it, both the Secretary and Couve noted that planning had been done on this and that the Working Group paper stated what the objectives of an approach to the Security Council would be. Couve said that he wondered whether the matter should not be further studied in Washington. The Secretary pointed out that considerable work had already gone into the agreed portions of the contingency planning paper dealing with the role of the UN.
There was some discussion of where the further planning called for in Sections IV and V of the paper should take place. It was agreed German participation in some aspects of this planning would be required and the Secretary’s suggestion was accepted that the Washington Contingency Planning Group be given authority to call in the Germans whenever necessary. Couve pointed out that this was quite normal. Mr. Kohler noted that the basic coordinating responsibility for contingency planning should remain with the tripartite group in Washington, and no dissent from this was expressed.
The Ministers agreed that it would be most unfortunate if it became publicly known that the Western Powers were currently reviewing their contingency planning. Both Lloyd and Couve implied that this might limit the amount of information which it would be desirable to give to the Germans.
Couve reported that he had seen von Brentano earlier today, and the latter had requested that a meeting of the Four-Power Working Group on Germany including Berlin be held in Paris before the departure from here of the various delegations. It was agreed that such a meeting should be held on May 19. The Secretary suggested that the need for further study of the subjects indicated in Sections IV and V of the Contingency Planning paper might be indicated to the Germans at the meeting.
The Ministers agreed that Couve should present the conclusions of the Contingency Planning paper to the Heads of Government and recommend that further planning relating to indirect countermeasures and possible harassment of German civilian access be approved.
- Source: Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 64 D 559, CF 1664. Secret. Drafted by Hillenbrand and approved in S on May 20. The conversation took place at Elysée Palace. A summary of this conversation was transmitted in Secto 39 from Paris, May 18 at 9 p.m. (Ibid., Central Files, 396.1–PA/5–1860)↩
- see Document 186.↩