740.0011 Moscow/38a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the American Delegation
Amdel 8. The British Embassy has left with the Department a draft memorandum defining the scope and functions of the Mediterranean Politico-Military Commission which the British Government wishes to communicate to the Soviet Government prior to the Moscow conference as a proposal under Item 2 of the British Agenda. The British Embassy states that the draft memorandum treats the work of the Commission as confined for the present to Italian affairs but they have not overlooked the fact that the Soviet Government has proposed that the Commission should also deal with the problem of Axis Satellites who may dissociate themselves from Germany and with the question of the liberation of Allied territory in Europe. The British Government favors having an Inter-Allied Commission handle these subjects but it doubts whether a Commission sitting in Algiers or elsewhere in the Mediterranean “would be well placed to study these questions”. The British propose, therefore, that if the Commission is to have this wider scope and if, as is probable, “still further matters are referred to it in the future” it would be better to establish it in London where a number of other Allied governments are. This could be done, the British suggest, after the Commission has acquainted itself with the Italian problem and made its first recommendations. Thereafter, Italian matters could be handled, the British suggest, by “a Sub-Commission of four subordinate representatives” who would continue to meet in Algiers. The British Embassy adds that it would be “for consideration whether or not [Page 555] the French Committee of National Liberation should be permanently represented on the London Commission.”
The British draft memorandum reads as follows in paraphrase:
The Department informed the Secretary in telegram Amdel No. 19, October 18, 1943 (740.0011 Moscow/39e), that a message in accordance with his request had been transmitted to the Chargé in the Soviet Union for delivery to Molotov (see telegram No. 1002, October 16, 1943, 8 p.m., vol. ii, p. 388), and that the British Embassy had communicated this text to London and had informed the Department on October 17 that the British Ambassador in Moscow had been instructed to present a similar note.
The Politico-Military Commission will be composed of representatives of the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union and the French Committee of National Liberation. If necessary, Service advisers will assist these representatives. For the present the Commission will meet at Algiers. In the first instance it will deal with questions relating to Italy. The Commission members will be supplied by the three Governments and by the French Committee of National Liberation with all relevant information on military and political developments affecting their work and in their turn they will report on local developments. They will make joint or several recommendations to the three Governments or to the Committee of Liberation but will not have the power to take final decisions. They will not, of course, intervene in the military functions of the Allied Commanders-in-Chief. At the discretion of the Commission, the other European Allied Governments will have access to the Commission when it has under consideration matters especially affecting their interests. The functions of the Commission can be more exactly defined as experience is gained of its work. If its scope increases it will be necessary to reconsider the question of its location. The following indications are given of the treatment of questions at present remitted to the Commission:
Italy. The Commission will keep itself closely informed of current Italian affairs. It will maintain for this purpose close touch with the Allied Commanders-in-Chief and will have the right to request information or explanations on matters affecting its work. It will likewise have access to the Control Commission for Italy and such other inter-allied bodies, whether economic, political or military, as may be established either for the purpose of ensuring execution of the terms laid down for Italy or of exercising supervision and control in the sphere of civil affairs. The members of the Commission, in the light of this information and of their joint examination thereof, will tender advice on Italian affairs to their Governments, either individually or collectively, informing Allied Commanders-in-Chief if they think it appropriate. It is from the United Kingdom and United States Governments, through the Combined Chiefs of Staff in Washington, that the Allied Commanders-in-Chief continue as in the past to receive instructions.
The Department is informing the British Embassy that it believes that the question is one of such importance that the Secretary will wish to discuss it with Mr. Eden when they meet at Cairo and that it does not feel that it should beforehand even state that it has no objection to the British Government communicating it to the Soviet Union.
The British Embassy has likewise informed the Department that word has been received from the Foreign Office that in spite of our lack of enthusiasm for their revised declaration concerning liberated [Page 556] areas the British propose to discuss it at Moscow and they are meanwhile presenting it to the Russians as the British proposal for discussion under Item 14 of the British Agenda.