740.0011 European War 1939/17728½: Telegram
The Second Secretary of Embassy in the Soviet Union (Thompson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 21—4:45 a.m.]
12. [From Thurston.] My 10, December 19, 6 [1] p.m. Eden confirmed the statements made to me yesterday by Molotov and expressed the fear that Soviet insistence that a commitment be entered into at this time recognizing the Soviet frontiers of 1941 may make it impossible for him to reach an understanding with respect to postwar reconstruction. In this connection he stated that the Soviet demands not only embrace the Baltic States and Bessarabia but also seem to imply some expansion to the west, presumably by advancing the Lithuanian borders into East Prussia. It also appears to be desired by the Soviets that in addition to the reestablishment of the Finnish frontier certain additional naval and air bases in Finland must be obtained. Eden said that he had based his opposition to the Soviet desire for an agreement on frontiers at this time not only on the general inadvisability and impropriety of such action by Great Britain independently of its Commonwealth associates but also on his intention to be guided by the message transmitted to Churchill by the President through Hopkins some months ago96 in which the hope was expressed that no commitments regarding postwar settlements should be reached without consultation with the United States. He said he had every intention of holding to this course. Stalin’s position was, Eden said, that the Soviet Government would be quite prepared to acquiesce in and support any plans the British Government might have with respect to postwar rearrangements such as, for example, the establishment of British bases in Holland or elsewhere on the Atlantic Coast of Europe but that for its part it expects full recognition of its own frontiers and security problems.
With respect to the “Pact of Mutual Assistance”, Eden stated that the arrangement contemplated is merely the implementation of the existing war cooperation and that the scope of any agreement of this nature would be confined to the war against Germany—and would not envisage any eventual hostilities elsewhere, as, for example, in the Orient.
As to the attitude of the Soviet Union with respect to the war in the Pacific, he said that the subject had been discussed of course and that Stalin had said that the Soviet Government considers that it is not now in a position to take action in this area—but that by next spring the situation may have changed.
[Page 201]Eden said that he had brought up the question of the situation in the Near East and that Stalin had indicated that the Soviet Government is satisfied with the position in Iran and has no uneasiness with regard to Turkey.
I mentioned the President’s desire to have conversations take place in Moscow on the general war effort and Colonel Faymonville’s presence here for that purpose.
Eden stated that he was, of course, aware of this proposal but that he was without specific instructions regarding it. He added that the British Military Mission is to remain in Moscow and will consequently be in a position to participate in such conversations when they take place.
With respect to the manner in which the American Government is to be kept informed by the British of the results of the conversations being held in Moscow, Eden stated that he had instructed the Foreign Office to show to Ambassador Winant all his telegrams from Moscow.
The British Ambassador at Ankara and the British Minister at Tehran have been so delayed by bad weather that the plan to have them come to Moscow has been abandoned. Eden plans to leave Moscow on his return journey tomorrow night. Thurston.