740.00119 Council/6–2049: Telegram
The United States Delegation at the Council of Foreign Ministers to President Truman and the Acting Secretary of State
Delsec 1931. For President and Acting Secretary. Final Plenary Meeting 6th Session CFM Bevin in chair held 4:30 p. m. following short private meeting at which four Ministers agreed on text of final communiqué covering modus vivendi of Germany and Austrian treaty.1 Ministers agreed to record of decisions submitted by Secretary General, failed reach agreement on Vishinsky request CFM set date for consideration of Japanese peace treaty and recorded formal agreement with text of final communiqué (Delsec 19302).
Even before question on record of decisions settled Vishinsky asked Ministers reach agreement on point he made at first meeting concerning setting date now for special session CFM to consider Japanese Peace Treaty. Acheson said US Government repeatedly shown desire for early conclusion Japanese Treaty but it did not consider CFM appropriate body for this. We still favor conference of FEC countries which would allow nations closely associated with defeat of Japan to express their views. US always ready discuss procedural questions involved through diplomatic channels. Schuman noted that France agreed to US proposal on Japanese Peace Treaty two years ago and still adhered to this position. Time of conference to be determined through diplomatic channels. Bevin expressed view CFM cannot profitably discuss question. UK did not agree with Soviet position and therefore would not agree set date.
Vishinsky then developed, argument that Potsdam agreement in stipulating CFM draft peace settlements specifically envisaged that CFM would prepare Japanese Treaty. China deserved right to participate which was provided for in Potsdam. Other interested powers [Page 1038] should be consulted in same manner as they were on satellite peace treaties. Acheson replied that US view set forth in note given USSR in [August] 19473 and it was a complete waste of time to discuss question here. Potsdam does not mention Japanese Treaty in any way and agreement actually signed before USSR at war with Japan. US insisted that countries which bore brunt of war with Japan should participate in treaty drafting not just as consultants but as major participants.
The Ministers then accepted without comment Part 1 of communiqué on Berlin. In recording his agreement with Part 2 on Austria, Acheson noted that Ministers had been unable reach agreement on all questions and had referred back to deputies important issues of export of profits settlement of disputes and German assets. Nevertheless he looked forward with hope to receiving a draft treaty from deputies by September 1. Vishinsky said all delegations had agreed to Soviet right to export its profits; point at issue was clarification of what was meant by profits. Acheson agreed to this statement.
Session adjourned at 6:30 with round of compliments, comments on Palais de Marbre Rose decorations and photographers flash bulbs.4
Sent Department Delsec 1931; repeated London 433, Berlin 283, Heidelberg 27, Vienna 53, Moscow 152.
- The minutes of the private meeting, at which the Berlin railroad strike, the return of German prisoners of war, and the communiqué were discussed, are in the CFM Files: Lot M–88: Box 142: United States Delegation Minutes. For the text of the communiqué, see p. 1062.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Under reference here is the United States aide-mémoire, August 12, 1947, to the Soviet Government. For the text of this aide-mémoire, see Department of State Bulletin, August 24, 1947, pp. 395–396. For further documentation relating to the preparation of a Japanese peace treaty, see Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. vi, pp. 446 ff., 1948, volume vi .↩
- A photograph of the four Foreign Ministers at the adjournment of the session will be found following page 642.↩