when  other  frontiers  of  Germany  were  settled,  to  support  France  in  her  proposal
concerning  the  Saar.  I  had  during  the  previous  conference  made  it  clear  that  in  our
view  this  question  involved  the  level  of  industry  in  Germany  as  a  whole  and
reparations.  I  am  obliged  to  repeat  this  reservation.  I  am  also  obliged  to  recall  the
reservation  made  by  His  Majesty’s  Minister  at  Paris  with  reference  to  the  proposed
addition  to  the  Saar  territory  in  August  last.  We  do  not  necessarily  exclude  some
modification  of  the  boundaries  of  the  Saar  territory,  but  we  regard  this  question  as
being  one  which  can  only  be  finally  decided  on  a  quadripartite  basis  at  the  time  of
the  final  delimitation  of  the  frontiers  of  Germany.
I  regret  having  to  send  you  this  negative  reply  to  your  proposal.  1  must  repeat,
however,  that  although  His  Majesty’s  Government  remain  favourable  in  principle
to  the  French  proposals  about  the  future  of  the  Saar,  subject  to  the  reservations
stated  above,  they  are  strongly  opposed  to  this  matter  being  dealt  with  unilaterally,
especially  as  I  understand  that  at  the  last  meeting  even  Mr.  Molotov  indicated  that
he  would  restudy  your  claim  from  which  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  Soviet
Government  had  not  finally  rejected  it.
Yours  sincerely,
{Ernest  Bevin}

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