Council of Foreign Ministers Report 6, Draft, Limitation of Occupation Forces in Germany

DECLASSIFIED E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) DRAFT Dept. of State letter, Aug. 9, 1973 CFM By NLT- HC : NARS Date 4.22.75 No. 6 LIMITATION OF OCCUPATION FORCES IN GERMANY S. SERVICES AND Ao The Problem The problen 18 to bring about the reduction of occupation forces in Germany on a relatively uniform basis throughout the several zones. The sise of the occupying forces should be reduced to a minimum con- sistent with security and with the fulfillment of Allied objectives. B. Discussion In December, 1946, at the New York meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministerse the United States delega- tion introduced a proposal for the limitation of European occupation forces in Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Rumania (CFM (46) (NY)59, December 6, 1946). It was pro- posed that agreed cellings be placed upon the number of Allied occupation troops which may be retained in European Countries after conclusion of the treatles with ex~satel- lite states. For Germany, the ceilings suggested for occupation forces, as of April 1, 1947, were US and UK, 140,000, respectively; France, 70,000; USSR, 200,000. Mr. Molotov would not agree to discuss this question during the New York meeting, but indicated that he might be ready to discuss the subject during the Moscow Conference. When Secretary Marshall suggested at the opening of the MOBCOW Conference that this topic be included on the agends, Mr. Molotov reserved his position on this proposal. During the Moscow Conference, the United States delegation circulated a new proposal on the limitation of occupation forces, which dealt exclusively with forces in Germany. It was proposed that the size of the occupying forces should be reduced progressively to a minimum consistent with security and with the ful- fillment of Allied objectives. Towards this end the CFM was to instruct the Allied Control Council to deter- mine the security forces necessary in each occupation zone as of 1 July, 1947, and 1 July, 1948. The Control Council's conclusione were to be reported to the CFM not later than 1 June, 1947. During the discussion of the US proposal on the last day of the Conference, April 24, 1947, Mr. Molotov pro- posed that the Council adopt the decision to limit, as of August 1,