840.50 Recovery/9–947: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
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4888. This afternoon I called on Bevin, Hall-Patch, and Makins1 present, at the Foreign Office and took up with them the contents of Deptel circular September 7, 1 a.m.
They pointed out that the seven main essentials were not new to them, and that they were trying to incorporate them in the final report of the CEEC. However, they feel that any further attempt at screening now would only tend to slow up the report and that they cannot change the time-table. Bevin feels that it is impossible to postpone the meeting of the Ministers already publicly called, and announced for September 15, to receive the conference report. To do so, the British thought, might cause such dismay that the work of the conference so far made might come to naught. Sir Oliver Franks had, they thought, carried the participating countries as far toward a cooperative effort as is possible. Any effort to press further would, they feared, so impair national sovereignty that many countries would rebel, particularly since the Soviet had already threatened some with withholding coal if they proceeded.
They suggest that the report will give Franks authority to call Committee on Cooperation into session for further discussion and additional work if it seems advisable.
Bevin has not had opportunity to acquaint himself with details of report, but is sending Hall-Patch to Paris with me tomorrow.
In view of the foregoing, it would have been futile to press for a decision on the bizonal statement until after I have had an opportunity to discuss matter with Clayton in Paris and to determine arrangements for continuing work of conference which report may announce. If continuing work is provided for, I will then take up again matter of bizonal participation.
Clayton will attempt to meet with Executive Committee tomorrow at five if he hears from Franks that all members will have heard from their Governments by that time. If not, Executive Committee will meet on Thursday morning.
Sent Dept as 4888, repeated Berlin 429, Paris (for Clayton and Caffery) 506.
- Sir Edmund Hall-Patch, Deputy Under-Secretary of State, and Roger M. Makins, Assistant Under-Secretary of State, in the British Foreign Office.↩