Cablegram 3775, LONDON, 9 September 1949, 8.16 p.m.
RESTRICTED
Your 3907.[1]
Representation in Germany.
Foreign Office do not consider arrangement you suggest, of replacing Military by Civilian Head while maintaining his Headquarters at Berlin (but presumably with dual functions at Bonn), would present any great difficulties. They will advise shortly on technical point of how and to whom Civilian Head, if appointed, would have to be accredited in regard to Berlin, but point out meanwhile that some Missions in Berlin (e.g. Swiss) are already Civilian in all but name, and that accreditation position there has long been somewhat vague following Soviet withdrawal from Four Power control.
2. Presuming these technicalities could be overcome, only disadvantage of proposal would appear to be the possibility of our Mission finding itself sole or one of few maintaining Headquarters etc. for Germany in Berlin.
_[1] See note 6 to Document 309.
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[AA : A1838, 851/12/6, I]