No. 290
Editorial Note
The discussion of the reply to the Soviet note next moved to Bermuda where the Heads of Governments and the Foreign Ministers of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France were meeting December 4–8 to consider questions of mutual concern. By December 7 the Foreign Ministers had approved the text of the reply, had directed that it be shown to Chancellor Adenauer and Mayor Schreiber, who approved it, and had instructed their Ambassadors in the Soviet Union to deliver the note to the Foreign Ministry on December 8. The note agreed to a meeting of the four powers at Berlin to discuss Germany and Austria, stated that any participating government could give its views on a five-power meeting, and suggested January 4 as the date for the opening of the meeting. For documentation on the drafting of the reply and the text of the note as approved by the Foreign Ministers, see volume V, Part 2, pages 1737 ff.
On December 26 the Soviet Union replied positively, but suggested January 25 as the date for the opening of the conference. This date was accepted by the three Western powers in a note dated January 1. For texts of the Soviet reply and the Western note, see Department of State Bulletin, January 11, 1954, pages 43–44. Copies of these notes and documentation relating to their drafting of the tripartite note is also in file 396.1 BE.