GERMANY AND REPARATIONS

Statement at the Sitting
of the Council of Foreign Ministers
December 12, 1947

The day before yesterday, Mr. Marshall made a state-
ment on hehalf of the United Slates Government, designed
lo put an immediate stop to reparation deliveries to the
Soviet Union from Germany. Mr. Bevin associated himself
with that statement on behalf of the British Government.
He was followed by M. Bidault who associated himself
with the statement on behalf of the French Government.
Thus, the three delegations! have'now united in a* common
front against reparation deliveries to the Soviet Union.
However, it is not difficult to see that these statements
are groundless. Furthermore, they completely contradict
those made by the Governments of the United States of
America", Great Britain and France during the war, when
they resolved to support the Soviet Union and other allies
on the question of reparations from Germany.
Again recalling the Yalta and Potsdam agreements, I
mxust state that the Soviet !Union is not asking, but demand-
ing that the question of reparations at long last be decided.
The -Soviet Union insists that the agreements regarding
reparations shall not remain a dead letter, but shall be car-
ried out as was decided.
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