Evening star., 1946-07-09
Ministers Await Red
Declaration on Policy
Toward Germany
By the Associoted Press

PARIS, July 9.-The Foreign
Ministers Council, turning to
the German question after
finally breaking a four-day dead
lock on the calling of a 81
nation peace conference, anx-
iously awaited today a promised
important declaration" of RUS
sia's policy toward the Reich.
The log jam ended last night
with the adoption of French COM
promise providing that only few
suggested rules of procedure be sent
out with invitations to the peace
conference, scheduled to open July
20 in Luxembourg Palace.
This was considered a victory for
the United States and Britain,
which had opposed Russian de-
mands that the invitations be ac-
companied by mandatory rules of
procedure.
Draft Rules Today.
Under the compromise, France
was authorized to send out invita-
tions today to the nations which
will draft peace treaties with Italy,
Hungary. Romania, Bulgaria and
Finland.
The suggested rules of procedure
will be drafted this morning by the
deputy ministers and are slated to
be ratified by the Ministers this
afternoon. The Ministers then are
scheduled to ratify their final agree
ments on Italian reparations, thus
clearing the slate for discussion of
the German question.
Speculation on the nature of the
important declaration" on Russia S
policy toward Germany ran from
one extreme to another. Some
sources said Russia planned to offer
to join Britain, France and the
United States in establishing a CEN
tral administrative organization
within federalized Germany.
Others said the Russians would de-
nounce Britain and the United
States for conducting secret nego-
tiations behind the Soviet Unions
back"
Charges Private Talks.
Tass, the official Russian news
agency, has accused the two west
ern allies of engaging in private
conversations on Germany to which
Foreign Minister V. M. Molotov
for some reason" was not invited.
American delegation sources de-
MED that tri-power secret talks
on Germany were going on in Paris
TO the exclusion of Russia.
French, British and American coal
technicians are negotiating to in
crease Germany's coal output, they
said, but American Ambassador JEFF.
ferson Caffery has kept the Russian
Ambassador, Alexandra Bogomolov
advised on the progress of these
talks.
Both Britain and the United States
are known to favor a breakdown
in the present rigid zonal boundaries
Of Germany and an end to the divi.
sion of Germany into uneconomic
alright compartments. The two ma
tions have maintained that this was
pledged at Po+5uan, when the pow
ers agreeSS TO unity Germany eco.
nomicaily.
France has prepared an elaborate
list of proposals for Germany's fu.
ture, including incorporation Of tn.
Saar into the French economic sys.
tenn, the political detachment of tn,
Rhineland from Germany and tn,
international control of the Ruhl
industrial basin.
France, Britain and the Unitet
States all seek to establish German
states which eventually could b,
unified into a federal structure
After concluding discussions OF
Germany, the Council is scheduled
to consider the Austrian question
and the Italian political situation
Then, presumably, the Minister!
will adjourn so that they may at.
tend the Peace Conference.
Under the compromise for thu
Peace Conference, France will b,
accorded the same status which she
holds at the present meeting of the
Big Four.