Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, Conferences at Malta and Yalta, 1945

Roosevelt Papers: Telegram

President Roosevelt to Marshal Stalin ¹

top secret
priority

[Washington,] 24 October 1944.

Number 100, Personal and Top Secret, from the President for Marshal Stalin.

I am delighted to learn from your message dated October 19² and from reports by Ambassador Harriman of the success attained by you and Mr. Churchill in approaching an agreement on a number of questions that are of high interest to all of us in our common desire to secure and maintain a satisfactory and a durable peace. I am sure that the progress made during your conversations in Moscow will facilitate and expedite our work in the next meeting when the three of us should come to a full agreement on our future activities and policies and mutual interests.

We all must investigate the practicability of various places where our meeting in November can be held, such as accessibility, living accommodations, security, etc., and I would appreciate suggestions from you.

I have been thinking about the practicability of Malta, Athens, or Cyprus if my getting into the Black Sea on a ship should be impracticable or too difficult. I prefer travelling and living on a ship.

We know that the living conditions and security in Malta and Cyprus³ are satisfactory.

I am looking forward with much pleasure to seeing you again.

Please let me have your suggestions and advice.

Roosevelt

1. Sent to the United States Naval Attaché, Moscow, via Navy channels; repeated to Churchill as Roosevelt’s No. 635, same date.
2. Ante, p. 9.
3. In the message as repeated to Churchill, “Athens” was substituted for “Cyprus” at this point.