Office of the Historian

740.00119 Council/2–1348

The Department of State to the Embassy of the Soviet Union 1

Memorandum

The Department of State refers to the communication of February 13 of His Excellency the Soviet Ambassador relating to the discussions which the Governments of the United States, the United Kingdom and France propose to hold in London respecting Germany.

These discussions have been arranged for the examination of problems in Germany of mutual interest to the three Governments. There is no provision in the Potsdam or other agreements relating to Germany concluded by the four occupying powers which prevents any of the powers from discussing between themselves questions of common concern.

The United States Government is surprised that the Soviet Government should undertake to remind the other powers of their contractual obligations in Germany. The result evoked by the failure of the Soviet Government to observe the principle of economic unity provided for in Section III B 14 of the Potsdam agreement2 impels [Page 341] the other three powers at this time to consult among themselves to put an end to a state of uncertainty and economic deterioration in Germany which threatens recovery in all of Europe. As has been repeatedly stated by United States representatives both in the Council of Foreign Ministers and in the Allied Control Council for Germany it remains open to the Soviet Government to join the other occupying powers in sound measures for the achievement of the economic and political unity of Germany. The fact that it now protests against the endeavors which will be made to develop constructive measures to deal with the present situation in Germany can only be construed as an effort to shift the responsibility incurred by the Soviet Government itself for the present division of Germany, with all the unfortunate consequences which this division entails, not only with respect to Germany, but for the recovery of Europe as a whole.

Washington, February 21, 1948.
  1. The text of this memorandum was transmitted to the United Kingdom and French Governments on February 17, but no effort was made to seek an identic reply to the Soviet communication of February 13 (p. 338). The French and United Kingdom Governments responded separately on February 21 and 23, respectively. For the text of the French communication, see Carlyle, Documents on International Affairs, p. 556.↩
  2. Foreign Relations, The Conference of Berlin (Potsdam), 1945, vol. ii, p. 1504.↩