740.0011 EW/10–243
The Soviet Chargé (Gromyko) to the Acting Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Referring to the letter of Mr. Hamilton, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, dated September 20 and addressed to Mr. V. M. Molotov, People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs,41 regarding the proposed by the Government of the United States agenda for the three partite conference, I have the honor to inform you that the Soviet Government has instructed me to bring to the knowledge of the United States Government the following:
The Soviet Government has acquainted itself with the suggested by the United States Government agenda for the conference of representatives of the Governments of the United States of America, Great Britain and the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Government having expressed, in due time, its consent to the arrangement of the conference, then and there advanced its point of view that for the success of this conference it was desirable to receive, from the Governments of Great Britain and the United States of America, a list of questions to be considered at the conference as well as suggestions on those questions.
This proposal of the Soviet Government did not meet with any objections, however, up to the present time, the United States Government, on its part, did not present any proposals with the exception of that of the declaration of four nations.
On its part the Soviet Government proposes the following:
1. To consider measures of shortening the war against Germany and her allies in Europe.
In view are such urgent measures to be carried out yet in 1943 by the Governments of Great Britain and the United States, which will secure the invasion of Western Europe, across the English Channel, by the Anglo-American armies and which, with simultaneous mighty blows of the Soviet troops upon the main forces of the German Army at the Soviet-German front, are to undermine fundamentally the military-strategic position of Germany and lead to a decisive shortening of war.
2. The Soviet Government has no objections against the discussion of questions, proposed by the United States Government concerning European countries. The Soviet Government considers it, however, desirable that the Government of the United States of America transmit in advance its proposals on the questions presented for concordance of those proposals among the three Governments.
Besides, the Soviet Government draws the attention of the United States Government to the fact that this conference, as it was agreed [Page 538] upon, must be a conference of representatives of three countries—the United States of America, Great Britain and the Soviet Union, that is the reason why the Soviet Government does not see any ground to include into the agenda, point 1, containing the draft of the Joint Declaration of Four Nations.
3. The Soviet Government considers that the conference of the representatives of the three Governments is to be of a preliminary character and has to work out the proposals for consecutive [consequent?] decisions of the Governments of the United States of America, Great Britain and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Accept [etc.]