Byrnes Papers
No. 1044
The British Foreign Secretary
(Eden) to the Secretary of State
Dear Secretary of State[:] You will remember that our two Departments have discussed certain amendments to the Directive on coal production which the President suggested should be issued to our Zone Commanders in Germany.1 We have now considered the revised draft directive which was handed to members of the British [Page 1027] Embassy in Washington on July 11th,2 and I am glad to say that we find ourselves in agreement with it. We are therefore arranging to have a Directive in the same terms issued forthwith as an interim instruction to the British Zone Commander.3
- 2.
- I understand that it was the intention of the President to discuss this Directive with Marshal Stalin here, but I do not know whether he intends to raise it at a Plenary Session or find some other opportunity. I should be glad to have your views on this.
- 3.
- Coal remains one of the most dangerous world shortages and in our view it is important that we should obtain Russian support for the European Coal Organisation. If we can get this, it will be easier to bring the Poles in as well. Perhaps therefore, if this question is to be raised at a Plenary Session, it might best come up under the heading of “co-operation in solving European economic problems” which you have put on your agenda.4
Yours sincerely
- See vol. i, document No. 420.↩
- See vol. i, document No. 432.↩
- Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery.↩
- See document No. 1161.↩