September 22, 1950
Communication from Gromyko to Stalin Concerning a Draft Reply to the United States, England, and France on the Matter of the National Police of the German Democratic Republic, 22 September 1950
Strictly Secret
All-Union Communist Party [Bolsheviks] [VKP(b)]. CENTRAL COMMITTEE [TSK].
p.78/32 To Comrades Malenkov, Gromyko
September 25, 1950. Excerpt from Minutes No. 78, session of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the VKP(b).
Decision of September 25, 1950
32. Draft communique from the Soviet government to the governments of the U.S.A., England, and France on the matter of the national police of the German Democratic Republic.
To instruct Comrade Gromyko to present within 3 days, based on an exchange of opinions, an explanatory note and amended reply from the USSR government to the governments of the U.S.A., England, and France concerning the national police of the German Democratic Republic.
Politburo TSK VK(b)
To Comrade J. STALIN
The governments of the U.S.A., England, and France have sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [MID of the USSR communiques of similar content asserting that the national police of the German Democratic Republic do not perform normal police functions but have the character of an army. In connection with this the communiques charges that the Soviet government with violating the decisions of the Potsdam Conference and other quadrilateral international agreements on the demilitarization of Germany.
The MID advises sending the governments of the U.S.A., England, and France replies deflecting these assertions as groundless, point out that the national police of the GDR was created for the protection of the democratic processes established in the GDR in accordance with the decisions of the Potsdam Conference on the democratization of Germany.
Facts about the creation of an army in the guise of armed police by the governments of the U.S.A., England, and France in West Germany appear in this communique.
The TSK VK(b) has already examined the matter of sending replies to the governments of the three powers. It was decided to return to this question later.
Considering the meetings of the western powers now taking place on the question of rearming West Germany and the launching of a broad campaign in the west European press of the creation of German armed forces, the MID requests again your review of the Soviet government's response.
The draft resolution is attached.
I request your review.
[signed] A. Gromyko
September 23, 1950
All-Union Communist Party [Bolsheviks] [VKP(b)]. CENTRAL COMMITTEE [TSK].
p.78/32 To Comrades Malenkov, Gromyko
September 25, 1950. Excerpt from Minutes No. 78, session of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the VKP(b).
Decision of September 25, 1950
32. Draft communique from the Soviet government to the governments of the U.S.A., England, and France on the matter of the national police of the German Democratic Republic.
To instruct Comrade Gromyko to present within 3 days, based on an exchange of opinions, an explanatory note and amended reply from the USSR government to the governments of the U.S.A., England, and France concerning the national police of the German Democratic Republic.
Politburo TSK VK(b)
To Comrade J. STALIN
The governments of the U.S.A., England, and France have sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [MID of the USSR communiques of similar content asserting that the national police of the German Democratic Republic do not perform normal police functions but have the character of an army. In connection with this the communiques charges that the Soviet government with violating the decisions of the Potsdam Conference and other quadrilateral international agreements on the demilitarization of Germany.
The MID advises sending the governments of the U.S.A., England, and France replies deflecting these assertions as groundless, point out that the national police of the GDR was created for the protection of the democratic processes established in the GDR in accordance with the decisions of the Potsdam Conference on the democratization of Germany.
Facts about the creation of an army in the guise of armed police by the governments of the U.S.A., England, and France in West Germany appear in this communique.
The TSK VK(b) has already examined the matter of sending replies to the governments of the three powers. It was decided to return to this question later.
Considering the meetings of the western powers now taking place on the question of rearming West Germany and the launching of a broad campaign in the west European press of the creation of German armed forces, the MID requests again your review of the Soviet government's response.
The draft resolution is attached.
I request your review.
[signed] A. Gromyko
September 23, 1950
Communication from Gromyko to Stalin Concerning a Draft Reply to the United States, England, and France on the Matter of the National Police of the German Democratic Republic, 22 September 1950
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