548.G1/136: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:59 p.m.]
500. The Department’s 230, May 10, 7 p.m., to Kuibyshev. I delayed presenting this matter to the Soviet Government until I had an opportunity to discuss it with Molotov54 with whom I had an appointment yesterday. In the meantime, however, the British Ambassador has advised me that the British and American Governments have not agreed on the wording of the last sentence of the draft declaration referring to the territories to be affected by the aforementioned assurance. He said that the State Department had taken the view that in order to minimize such an issue as might arise for example between the Soviet and Polish Governments the last sentence should refer exclusively to “enemy territories” and to “persons of whatever nationality displaced therefrom” who are to be returned to their homes; that in the view of the British Government this suggested modification would be too restricted and that the British Government would like to see the words “enemy territories or territories in enemy occupation” substituted for the words “territories”. The Ambassador said that he had been instructed to consult with me on this question pointing out that the British Government desired him to associate [himself] with the American approach to the Soviet Government. [Since the British and American Governments] had not yet agreed upon the wording of the last sentence of the draft, [I] suggested that either no approach be made until full agreement had been reached between the two Governments on the draft or the approach at this stage be confined merely to ascertaining whether the Soviet Government would agree that a joint declaration should be made.
[Page 185]In view of the above I have postponed taking this question up with the Soviet Government. The Department’s instructions are requested.
- V. M. Molotov, Vice-Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Union.↩