Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, The Conference of Berlin (The Potsdam Conference), 1945, Volume II

740.00119 Potsdam/8–245

No. 1161
Proposal by the United States Delegation¹

top secret

[Babelsberg, July 22, 1945.]

Cooperation in Solving Immediate European Economic Problems

The urgent tasks of European relief and reconstruction can be most effectively carried out only if supported by the combined efforts of the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom. It is, therefore, recommended that the three governments agree to participate fully in the Emergency Economic Committee for Europe (EECE), European Coal Organization (ECO) and the European Central Inland Transport Authority (ECITO). It should be the aim of the three Governments to assist in making these organizations effective agencies for handling the problems of relief and reconstruction by day-to-day cooperation in their activities.

1. Notice of the submission of this paper was given at the Fifth Meeting of the Foreign Ministers, July 22 (see ante, p. 227), and the subject was referred to the Foreign Ministers at the Sixth Plenary Meeting, July 22 (see ante, pp. 246–247).