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The Western Allies on the Desired Level of Industry in their Zones of Occupation (August 28, 1947)

Among the permanent points of contention between the United States and Great Britain, on the one hand, and the United States and France, on the other, was the rebuilding of German heavy industry and control of the Ruhr region, which was important to the economy of all of Western Europe on account of its economic power and rich coal deposits. Over the course of 1947, the French relented on their original demand that the Ruhr region be separated from Germany, but they insisted on having a say about its future status.

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1. Tripartite talks between representatives of the French, United Kingdom and United States Governments relating to the level of industry in the combined Anglo-American zones of Germany and to the management and control of mines in the Ruhr took place in London between the 22nd and 27th August 1947. They have enabled the United Kingdom and United States Delegations to explain their governments' plans and the French Delegation to set forth the views of the French Government concerning these problems. The three delegations were able, as a result of the conversations, to arrive at a more complete understanding of their respective points of view.

2. The three delegations agreed that the measures about to be taken should not result in priority being given to the rehabilitation of Germany over that of the democratic countries of Europe. They consider it necessary that German resources should contribute to the general rehabilitation of Europe.

3. The three delegations recognize that disarmament, demilitarization and democratization of Germany remain indispensable to security and that the plans envisaged for the Anglo-American zones do not prejudice such guarantees in this respect as may be established in the future.

4. In particular, the United Kingdom and United States Delegations explained that the plan for the management and control of the Ruhr mines which had been communicated to the French Delegation does not prejudge the future status of these mines, and that it would not constitute an obstacle to the adoption of such measures as might be judged necessary to prevent the Ruhr from again becoming an instrument of aggression, or to the adoption of such measures as might be established to assure to other countries access to its products. The French Delegation took note of these explanations and reserved the position of its government with regard to the arrangements for the management and control of the mines.

5. The French Delegation set forth the main reservations it wished to make relating to certain figures in the United Kingdom-United States level-of-industry plan, particularly as regards machine tools and basic chemical products and the capacities retained in certain other industries.

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