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  4. Document 11

740.00119 Council/1–3147: Telegram

The United States Deputy for Germany at the Council of Foreign Ministers (Murphy) to the Secretary of State

secret
urgent
London, January 31, 1947—4 p.m.

688. Delsec 1169 from Murphy. In response to oral communication transmitted by me as chairman, deputies (Ref Delsec’s 1157,36 1141,37 1140,38 1128;39 Secdel 127440) Canadian High Commissioner has sent letter January 30, attaching memorandum by Izluco [apparent garble] on German peace settlement and also statement by Canadian FonMin41 to House of Commons, Ottawa, January 30, dealing with procedural question and Canadian participation in peace settlement. In this statement Canadian Govt announce that without prejudice to later representations on subject, it is submitting preliminary views [Page 20] on German settlement in written memorandum to deputies, but since Canadian representative not granted privilege of discussion in present hearings, no advantage seen in Canadian representative making a formal appearance for oral statement before deputies. I am circulating Canadian letter with attachments at deputies meeting today.42

For Dept’s background information, I have had in past days several informal discussions with Canadian High Commissioner and have been following matter thus in close and friendly fashion with him. When Canadian High Commissioner asked my personal opinion as to whether Canadian Govt should submit memorandum in view of dissatisfaction re procedure at present hearings, I urged this be done, in order that deputies might have benefit of Canadian views on peace settlement with Germany. I also urged that Canadian representative should appear before deputies if just in order make an oral protest against present procedure, but Canadian Govt has apparently regarded abstention from oral hearings as more effective form of protest.

Repeated USPolAd Berlin 61, AmEmbassy Paris 64, AmEmbassy Ottawa 2.

[
Murphy
]
  1. Not printed, but see footnote 25, p. 12.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Ante, p. 9.↩
  4. Ante, p. 7.↩
  5. Not printed.↩
  6. Louis St. Laurent.↩
  7. The Canadian letter under reference here was circulated to the Deputies as document CFM(D) (47) (G) 41, January 30, 1947, not printed. Summaries of the views of the Canadian Government on the principal aspects of the German problem were included in the Report by the Deputies for Germany, February 25, 1947, p. 40.↩