Roosevelt Papers: Telegram
President Roosevelt to Marshal Stalin1
operational priority
From President Roosevelt personal and secret to Marshal Stalin.
The problem of my going to the place you suggested is becoming so acute that I feel I should tell you frankly that, for constitutional reasons, I cannot take the risk. The Congress will be in session. New laws and resolutions must be acted on by me after their receipt and must be returned to the Congress physically before ten days have elapsed. None of this can be done by radio or cable. The place you mentioned is too far to be sure that the requirements are fulfilled. The possibility of delay in getting over the mountain—first, east bound and then west bound—is insurmountable. We know from experience that planes in either direction are often held up for three or four days.
I do not think that any one of us will need Legation facilities, as each of us can have adequate personal and technical staffs. I venture, therefore, to make some other suggestions and I hope you will consider them or suggest any other place where I can be assured of meeting my constitutional obligations.
In many ways Cairo is attractive, and I understand there is a hotel and some villas out near the pyramids which could be completely segregated.
Asmara, the former Italian Capital of Eritrea, is said to have excellent buildings and a landing field—good at all times.
Then there is the possibility of meeting at some port in the Eastern Mediterranean, each one of us to have a ship. If this idea attracts you we could easily place a fine ship entirely at your disposal for you and your party so that you would be completely independent of us and, at the same time, be in constant contact with your own war front.
Another suggestion is in the neighborhood of Bagdad where we could have three comfortable camps with adequate Russian, British and American guards. This last idea seems worth considering.
In any event, I think the Press should be entirely banished, and the whole place surrounded by a cordon so that we would not be disturbed in any way.
[Page 32]What would you think of November twentieth or November twenty-fifth as the date of the meeting?
I am placing a very great importance on the personal and intimate conversations which you and Churchill and I will have, for on them the hope of the future world will greatly depend.
Your continuing initiative along your whole front heartens all of us.
- Sent to the United States Naval Attaché, Moscow, via Navy channels.↩