800.0146/209: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Hamilton) to the Acting Secretary of
State
Moscow, October
19, 1943—8 a.m.
[Received October 20—5:26 a.m.]
1639. Department’s 894, September 23, 5 p.m. The Embassy has received
from the Foreign Office a memorandum dated October 16 replying as
follows to the Embassy’s memorandum communicating to the Soviet
Government the numbered observations concerning the draft declaration
regarding the administration of liberated enemy territories contained in
the Department’s telegram under reference:
- “1. The reference contained in the memorandum to the
participation of a representative of the Soviet Government
in the Committee known as the Leith-Ross Committee6
is without foundation since actually a Soviet representative
did not enter this Committee and took no part in its
work.
- 2. The Soviet Government affirms the agreement in the
viewpoints of the Soviet and American Governments on the
question of responsibility for the administration of enemy
territories of the command of the Armed Forces conquering
these territories. The Soviet Government also notes with
satisfaction the agreement of the Government of the United
States of America with the views of the Soviet Government
respecting the drawing into participation in the
administration of local personages as set forth in the
letter of V. M. Molotov dated September 14, 1943.7 The Soviet
Government however does not share the opinion expressed in
the memorandum that the decision of the question of the
degree and time of such participation by such personages
should be left to the Allied Command of the respective areas
since this question in the opinion of the Soviet Government
should be brought within the competence of the
Political-Military Commission.
- 3. With respect to the question of the supreme authority
of the Allied Command over territories liberated from enemy
occupation which is discussed in paragraph 3 of the
memorandum and also to the question of the attitude of the
Soviet Government toward the draft statement which was
communicated by Mr. Standley in his note of September 6
(Department’s 799, September 4, 10 p.m.) the viewpoint of
the Soviet Government concerning these questions was set
forth in the letter of the People’s Commissar for Foreign
Affairs, V. M. Molotov, dated September 14, 1943 (Embassy’s
1364, September 15, 1 p.m. [11
a.m.]).[”]
