740.00119 Council/9–3045
The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Bevin) to the Secretary of State 45
In view of the difficulties that have arisen in concluding the Peace Treaties, I feel that any further discussion on the Resolution of September [Page 516] 11th or on the proposed convoking of a Conference will be futile. The question therefore arises whether we should break on a question of procedure, on which I think we are all agreed that Molotov is strictly legally right, although morally unsound. I have thought very carefully over the situation which would arise in Great Britain and I take the view that public opinion here, if it was found that we broke on such a narrow point, would have very bad repercussions, especially at a moment when so much bilateral activity is going on.
I have had the greatest possible difficulty over the Control Council for Japan, but in order to keep common ground I have given way. I don’t know how I am going to defend this when I get into the House.
That brings me down to the question of Roumania and Bulgaria which involves the question of recognition and the conclusion of a Peace Treaty and procedure. Now on the question of recognition I don’t want to give way in this Conference. This was a bilateral action which I felt should be taken in order to keep in step with the U.S.A. and which I felt I could support with no prior consultation. Therefore the point now is so narrow that in my view what we ought to do is not to discuss the decision of September 11th at all, but merely to agree that for the conclusion of the preparatory work of the Peace Treaties it should merely be determined that the Secretariat for finishing the agenda on Italy the Council will consist of the 4 Governments; for the conclusion of the preparatory work on the Balkans it should consist of the 3 Governments; for the conclusion of the preparatory work on Finland it should be the 2 Governments. The Secretariat would be instructed to call the meetings accordingly during this present session. This will involve the Protocol and I cannot help feeling that Molotov had a point last night regarding the decision of September 11th; but this was only a question of presentation and I don’t think it makes much difference, the deputies will follow this procedure accordingly.
What action should follow? My view is that Molotov or Stalin is not in a position to agree to anything else and therefore the only course open to us to satisfy the great public of the world is a unilateral declaration by each Government if they choose, certainly not by the four Governments collectively. For my part I am inclined to take the view that I should have to make a declaration in view of my experience at this Conference as follows:
In view of the difficulties regarding procedure which have held up the work on the Peace Treaties of the Council of Foreign Ministers, and of the representations which have been made for the participation by other interested Governments in the consideration of the Peace Treaties, the Head of the United Kingdom Government proposes to take up the whole question of procedure for the future with the other four Governments members of the Council. This will not interfere with the work proceeding in accordance with the Berlin decisions.
I should not make this Declaration until the Protocol was signed & right at the end.46