Letter CANBERRA, 16 October 1945
I have the honor to advise you of the receipt of a communication from my Government stating that it had been requested by the Allied Control Council for Germany to notify the Governments of countries concerned of the Council’s readiness to accept applications to accredit military missions to the Council.
Accordingly, I have the honor to advise you that, pursuant to Article V of the statement of June 5, 1945 by the Governments of the United States, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom and France on control machinery in Germany, the Allied Control Council for Germany is now prepared to accept applications to send military missions to the Council. The other three member Governments will doubtless also notify the Commonwealth Government in behalf of the Control Council. [1]
The communication states that such missions would be received at Berlin under the following conditions:
1. That each Allied Government whose application to accredit a military mission is accepted should be free to decide the composition of its own mission, but that the number of nationals of all ranks belonging to each mission should be limited to 10.
This would not preclude the employment of a reasonable number of locally engaged domestic staff;
2. That it would be possible to find accommodation in Berlin for 16 missions provided that they are limited to 10 members each plus a reasonable number of locally engaged domestic staff. Houses and offices could be obtained for at least four such missions in each sector of Berlin, but as no suitable undamaged houses or offices are at present available, it will take some time for the necessary repairs to be effected;
3. That each government accrediting a mission should be asked to send one representative to Berlin immediately to investigate the accommodation available and to make all necessary arrangements with the Visitors and Administration Section of the Allied Control Authority for the arrival of his mission;
4. That the members of these missions, while present in any zone or sector of occupation, will enjoy the same privileges and immunities from the jurisdiction of German courts, the imposition of German taxes or the acts of German authorities as members of the Allied Control Staffs. All members of these missions, both military and civil, will be subject to the military or military government laws made applicable by each zone or sector commander for members of the Allied Control Staffs;
5. That these missions should enjoy freedom of movement within the greater Berlin area and, by agreement with the Commander-in-Chief concerned, within the zone;
6. That such missions would have the right to communicate with their governments by bag and cypher;
7. That each government accrediting a mission should be asked to provide its members with all transport they require;
8. That the Allied military authorities in each sector should supply the members of these missions accredited in their sector with rations, currency (Allied military marks), petrol and oil against repayment.
J. R. MINTER
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1 The Commonwealth Govt notified its intention to make such an application in its reply to the invitation from the French Govt.
See Makin’s letter, date 24 October, to Roger Monmayou, First Secretary, French Legation in Canberra, On file AA : A1066, H45/1013/2/1B. A similar reply was apparently made to the U.S.
Govt. See cablegram 435 to Hood, dispatched 24 October, on the same file.
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[AA : A1066, H45/1013/2/IB]