Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, General, Volume I

740.0011 Moscow/10–1843

Summary of the Proceedings of the Sixth Session of the Tripartite Conference, October 24, 1943, 3 p.m.⁶⁷

Moscow, October 24, 1943—3 p.m.

Mr. Molotov opened the session by requesting that the discussion of the question of Germany be postponed until tomorrow to permit more time for study.

Mr. Eden then took up the item on the agenda dealing with the question of agreements between major and minor Allies on post-war questions. He said that during Mr. Molotov’s visit to London in June 1942⁶⁸ he had had some discussion with him on this point and from that and his subsequent conversation with Mr. Maisky he had received the impression that the Soviet and British Governments were in agreement as to the undesirability of their concluding any agreements during the war with small states relating to the post-war period and thus avoid any scramble for special relationships with small Powers. He said that it was in this spirit the British Government had refused to consider some approaches they had on this subject from Allied small Powers. It was, of course, realized that there would have to be some exceptions to this general rule and that the Soviet Government in the case of the Soviet-Czech treaty⁶⁹ had already informed him of one. He said that his main point was to ensure that there would be consultation and agreement between the Soviet and British Governments before any such treaties were concluded in the future.

Mr. Molotov said that he gathered that Mr. Eden was not against the conclusion of treaties of this nature, but only desired to ensure preliminary consultation and agreement between the British and Soviet Governments before either state concluded any such treaty.

Mr. Eden said that he was referring to a general principle.

Mr. Molotov said that the British and Soviet Governments had been discussing this question for about a year and a half, but he did not know whether the United States Government was fully informed on this matter and that now that the question had been brought before the Three-Nation Conference he wished to make sure that the United States was fully familiar with all the material.

The Secretary said that his Government had followed with interest and profit the discussions on this subject between the British and Soviet Governments and that he personally was not familiar with all the details and he felt, therefore, that Mr. Eden and Mr. Molotov were in a better position to discuss the matter and that perhaps at some future stage he might have something helpful to add.

Mr. Molotov repeated his desire to have the United States Government fully informed as to what had occurred in the past and expressed his willingness to make available to the Secretary all information in the possession of the Soviet Government on the exchange with the British.

Mr. Eden said he would, of course, be glad to give the United States everything they had.

Mr. Molotov then said that he would like to inquire whether in the event that the British and Soviet representatives here were able to agree on this question, should the three Powers represented be parties to it or should there merely be Great Britain and the Soviet Union.

The Secretary repeated that he was not familiar with all the details of this lengthy correspondence and he felt, furthermore, that should Mr. Molotov and Mr. Eden fail to reach an agreement on this there would be little value in his participating in those differences. He added that he was, however, greatly interested in all of the proceedings of the Conference and would be glad to be of any help.

Mr. Eden emphasized that he did not have in mind a treaty, but merely a practical arrangement to ensure further consultation and agreement between the Soviet and British Governments. He suggested that the British and Soviet Delegates each name a representative to consider this question on a small committee.

Mr. Molotov then reviewed the history of the Soviet-Czech negotiations. He said that when Mr. Benes⁷⁰ had approached the Soviet Government with the idea of a treaty of mutual assistance directed against any recrudescence after the war of German aggression, his Government had responded favorably and after a number of exchanges the treaty had finally been agreed upon and Dr. Benes had been invited to come to Moscow to sign it, but had been unable to do so because of objections on the part of the British Government.

Mr. Eden at this point stated that there would be no objection to Dr. Beneš’ visit.

Mr. Molotov replied that there was probably no objection to the visit but perhaps there was to the signing of the treaty. He said that neither the Soviet nor Czech Governments nor their respective public opinion could understand why the British should have any objection to a treaty of this character which was between two countries with a common frontier for their immediate security.

Mr. Eden repeated what he had said previously with regard to his understanding that the Soviet and British Governments were in general agreement as to the undesirability during the war of treaties between great and small allies which related to the post-war period and that his Government had been thinking more along the lines of a system of collective security. He said that he now had a draft of the proposed treaty which he had not had at the time Dr. Benes suggested his visit in July and that after examination he felt that there would be nothing objectionable from the point of view of his Government to the signature of this treaty.

Mr. Molotov expressed pleasure at this statement and said he would then immediately telegraph to the Soviet Charge to the Czech Government in exile in London to invite Dr. Benes to come to Moscow.

Mr. Eden asked and Mr. Molotov agreed that he be given 24 hours to inform his Prime Minister of the opinion he had just expressed in regard to the Soviet-Czech treaty, so that he would not learn this for the first time from Dr. Benes.

Mr. Molotov then said that in order to avoid any further delay he would read the statement of the Soviet Government on this question. (Copy attached.⁷¹) The British Delegation then nominated Mr. Wilson and the Soviet Delegation Mr. Novikov to consider this question.

The Conference then adjourned for fifteen minutes.

Mr. Molotov then took up item 10 on the agenda—common policy towards Iran.

Mr. Eden said he felt we should consider the various practical questions involved in this matter, such as transport, finance, coordination of trade activities, etc.

The Secretary said he thought it would save time to refer this question to a special committee.

Mr. Molotov said he had some observations to make on this question, that just before the meeting the Iranian Ambassador⁷² had called at the Foreign Office to call attention to the existing Soviet-Anglo-Iranian treaty of 1942,^72a which envisaged the presence of an Iranian representative at all international conferences in which questions relating to Iran would be dealt with.

Mr. Eden replied that it had not been intended to take any decisions in regard to Iran, but merely to discuss among ourselves certain practical measures which would redound to the benefit of Iran in the exchange of views on the subject.

Mr. Molotov said it was his understanding, which the Secretary confirmed, that the United States had no such treaty with Iran, but that one was in process of negotiation and might soon be brought to a successful conclusion.

Mr. Molotov suggested that a small commission be formed to consider these practical questions without settling in advance any of the questions in principle.

Mr. Allen and Mr. Jernegan were named to this commission for the United States; Mr. Holman and Mr. Iliff for the British and Mr. Kavtaradze and Mr. Smirnov for the Soviet Union.

The Conference then turned to the questions of confederation, which had been included in the merger of items 12 and 17.

Mr. Eden then said that on the question of confederations it was impossible to decide now whether or not in some form or other any association of small Powers would be desirable or possible. He added that it had been difficult to find any satisfactory solution of such problems even in economic matters. He then outlined four principles which he said should guide the discussions on this subject, as follows: (1) No interference with forms of government; (2) Association to be based on mutual welfare; (3) Great powers to give their support in the general interest of prosperity; and (4) No separate areas of responsibility on the part of the great Powers.

The Secretary said that his Government had several important phases of this important question under study in relation to our main problem, but he had not had a chance to acquaint himself with all the details and he thought it might be well to postpone until some future meeting this discussion.

Mr. Molotov then suggested that the Conference adjourn to reconvene at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow.

The Secretary then asked if it would not be possible to return to point 2 of the Four-Nation Declaration and to finish with this question, to which the Conference agreed.

The Conference then adjourned to reconvene at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow to take up the Four-Power Declaration, the question of Germany and, if possible, items 13 and 14 on the agenda.

67. Drafted by Charles E. Bohlen of the American delegation.
68. For correspondence regarding Mr. Molotov’s visit to London in May and June 1942, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. iii, pp. 552–553 and 550–566.
69. Enclosure to Conference Document No. 43, p. 744.
70. Edward Benes, President of the Czechoslovak National Committee in London; formerly President of the Czechoslovak Republic.
71. Not attached to file copy, but see Conference Document No. 24, p. 726.
72. Majid Ahy.
73. For text, see Department of State Bulletin, March 21, 1942, p. 249, and for documents concerning United States reservations regarding the treaty, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. iv, pp. 263 ff.