840.50 Recovery/8–2448: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France
3652. For Harriman. Re draft agreement for international control of Ruhr (ur Aug 24, unnumbered1). Meeting will probably be held [Page 449] Oct rather than Sep. Exact site not decided. Meeting for purpose drafting convention establish control authority, on basis principles already agreed at London six-power talks.
Meeting will be primarily technical although certain policy issues will undoubtedly arise, particularly connection determination of relationship between Germany and control authority. London Agreement leaves unclear whether Germans are initially to make allocations, subject to review by control authority, or whether control authority will itself make allocations. US thinking is Germans should make initial allocations, which is related our general desire avoid control authority getting too deeply into matters which are fundamentally matters of German domestic policy and operations.
We have not been able do much work actual drafting convention and no decision has been made re principal US representative.
You will be kept informed and be given opportunity comment on questions policy accordance your request.
- Not printed; in it Ambassador Harriman asked for information regarding the forthcoming conference for the preparation of an agreement on the international control of the Ruhr. The United States, the United Kingdom, and France had agreed in July that such a conference should take place in London not earlier than September.↩