740.0011 Moscow/10–1843
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
| Participants: | Mr. Anthony Eden |
| The Secretary | |
| Sir Archibald | |
| Clark Kerr | |
| Mr. Harriman |
Mr. Eden, accompanied by the British Ambassador, called on Secretary Hull at noon, Sunday, October 24. The talk lasted about an hour. Ambassador Harriman was present.
Mr. Eden’s primary purpose in the call was to discuss the question of the re-establishment of Soviet-Polish diplomatic relations.63a The Secretary explained that he considered it more of a British problem in view of their treaty relationships. Mr. Eden agreed but countered by saying he understood from the Poles that the Secretary was very friendly to them, much interested in seeing the matter settled, and would support them in Moscow.
After further discussion it was agreed that the British Ambassador would suggest to Molotov that the subject be discussed at a small meeting later in the Conference with not more than four from each side present. If this suggestion were followed, Mr. Eden would open the discussion by indicating that the break in relations between the [Page 623] Soviet and Polish Governments was a breach in the United Nations solidarity, and would ask Mr. Molotov whether he had any suggestions.
The Secretary agreed to respond to Mr. Eden’s opening statement by explaining the friendly relations that existed between the United States and Polish Governments, paralleling similar relations with the Soviet Government, and expressing the hope that the Soviet Government would find it possible to re-establish friendly relations with the Polish Government—explaining the importance we placed on this in connection with Soviet relations in the United States on account of the large elements of Polish population in the United States, and sympathizers with the Poles.
The conversation then turned to other points being considered by the Conference.
Mr. Eden said that he would fully support the Secretary’s strong position on the inclusion of China in the Four-Power Declaration. The British Ambassador expressed his personal strong sympathy for this position and its importance at this time. He suggested that some slight concession to the Soviets might be necessary if it could be done without in any way compromising the Four Power aspect of the Declaration. He suggested that the announcement might be made as a declaration from the tri-partite conference with the combined offer of the three participants to China to join in order to make it a four-power declaration. He expressed the view that there would be no difficulty in getting the Chinese Government’s immediate acceptance. This small concession might well overcome Molotov’s reluctance to have a four-power declaration emerge from a tri-partite conference. The Secretary did not agree as to concession.
The Secretary read to Mr. Eden the brief aide-mémoire recently prepared on our position as to Iran.64 At Mr. Eden’s request he gave him a copy.
The Secretary also read a cable he had sent to Washington65 commenting on the Soviet seven-point principles to be followed in Italy. Mr. Eden requested a copy of this also, which it was arranged he should have.
The conversation closed with an exchange of views on the progress and atmosphere of the Conference.
- For further documentation on this subject, see vol. iii, pp. 314 ff.↩
- Not found in Department files, but for the substance of Secretary Hull’s remarks, see the letter of November 4, 1943, from Mr. George V. Allen to the Secretary of State, vol. iv, p. 400, and The Memoirs of Cordell Hull, vol. ii, p. 1505.↩
- Infra. ↩