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Volume 9 1948~1951

Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 439 NAI TSCH/3/S14612

Memorandum for Government by the Department of External Affairs
'Appointment of Trade Attaché in Western Germany'

Dublin, 4 May 1950

  1. On the 17th Jan the Government decided that a Trade Attaché should be appointed in Germany.1 The Minister for External Affairs has been considering the mode and capacity in which this officer should be appointed and has been in touch with the Western German authorities on the matter.
  2. It is obviously desirable, for economy and other reasons, that the officer appointed - although he will normally be engaged almost whole-time on trade matters - should be in a position to handle also any official business arising between the Irish and Western German Governments, as well as consular matters arising in connection with Irish travellers or interests in Western Germany. Now that Germany is a member of the OEEC and likely to become a member of the Council of Europe, our official contacts with that country must be expected to increase. There is no reason why the officer appointed to look after trade matters in Western Germany should not handle these in addition to his other duties.
  3. This raises the question of the manner and capacity in which the officer appointed should be accredited. He cannot be accredited with the title of Trade Attaché. That title presupposes an already existing mission to which the officer concerned is attached. Moreover, under chapter 8 of the Charter of the Allied High Commission in Germany, the officer appointed must be accredited to the Allied High Commission. The provision in question states that 'the necessary liaison with the Governments of other nations especially interested will be ensured by the appointment by such Governments of appropriate missions to the Council of the High Commission having access, by procedures to be determined, to its sub-ordinate bodies and to the German Government'. Particularly in view of the fact that so much of German foreign trade is subject to official controls it is very desirable that the officer appointed should be of sufficiently senior rank to be able to establish and maintain personal contacts with the heads of the Western German economic departments and the senior officials of the Allied High Commission.
  4. In all the circumstances, the Minister considers that the best course would be to appoint an officer of Head of Mission rank with the local title of Consul General. The appointee would have a Consul General's Commission issued by the President (or the Presidential Commission). As is usual in the case of Consular Commissions, the Commission would not be addressed specifically to the Allied High Commission, although it would require to be presented to them.
  5. The Minister for External Affairs has given careful consideration to the most suitable officer to be appointed to the new post. It is important that the appointee should be a person of drive and initiative and that he should possess, as essential qualifications, a fluent knowledge of German and good experience of international trade problems. With the foregoing considerations in mind, the Minister proposes the name of Mr. John A. Belton for appointment to the new post. Mr. Belton speaks German fluently and has a good knowledge of our trade relations with Germany derived, not only from past experience, but from his recent service as Head of the Trade Division in the Department of External Affairs.
  6. Accordingly, the Minister proposes for the approval of the Government -
    • that Mr. Belton should be appointed Consul General in Western Germany with the personal rank of Minister Plenipotentiary; and
    • that the President or, in his absence, the Presidential Commission, should be advised and authorised to issue the usual Commission appointing Mr. Belton as Consul General in Western Germany.2

1 Not printed.

2 On 12 May 1950 the Cabinet decided that in lieu of appointing a Trade Attaché for Western Germany, a Consul General of Ireland in Western Germany, with the personal rank of Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary, should be appointed.

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