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DEPUTIES FOR GERMANY
  Australian representative assumed CFM would work out general
principles for interim agreement and peace settlement at Moscow.
Regarding association and consultation of active belligerents with
four powers, he proposed following: (1) Active belligerents would
comment upon and discuss with deputies general directive received
from CFM. (2) Assuming diverse committees would be set up under
deputies, e.g. political and territorial, disarmament and security,
reparations and restitution, etc., representatives of active belligerents
would be closely associated in work of some or all of these committees.
  Australian representative regarded fixing of German frontier as
major political issue. He urged decisions be based on Atlantic Charter
and Charter of UN, with reservation respecting application Article
II of Atlantic Charter 23 to Germany in view of security and certain
economic considerations. Regarding how obtain facts, information
should be obtained by above-mentioned committees from Allied Con-
trol Authority in Germany. Final decision on such questions as east-
ern frontier, Saar, etc., should rest with full conference of all bellig-
erents. There should be full discussion of final text and free right to
introduce amendments. However, this stage should be a formal matter,
since through continuous consultation appropriate unanimity should
have been achieved. In closing, Australian representative emphasized
that above are his general comments on German problem, that later
Australian Govt will present views on specific aspects.
  Referring to Australian representatives remarks on question of pro-
cedure, Soviet deputy insisted deputies were acting under precise in-
structions from CFM in New York and deputies were not instructed
to discuss substance of German problem now but just to hear views.
Also he objected strenuously to Australian charge that Allied powers
were presented with fait accompli at Paris, since four powers had
only prepared drafts, respecting which Paris Conference had full
opportunity to make comments and many proposals of Paris Con-
ference had been accepted for inclusion in final treaties.
  When Australian representative interposed that he could not under-
stand why four powers had arrogated to themselves authority to draft
peace treaties, Gousev answered that this right had been bought with
great amount of blood. He declared that apparently Australian repre-
sentative was not pleased with agreement between four powers on
peace treaty, insinuating that Australian representative does not de-
sire see continued cooperation in peace of four powers. Hodgson hotly
rejected Gousev's insinuation as misconstruction of Australian view.
  23 The reference here is to the Joint Statement by President Roosevelt
and
  Prime Minister Churchill, August 14, 1941, Foreign Relations, 1941, vol.
I, p. 367.
  For documentation regarding the preparation of the Atlantic Charter, see
ibid.,
  pp. 341 if.
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