740.00119 MPC/22: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Hamilton) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:12 p.m.]
1619. A note from Molotov dated October 14 informs me that British Ambassador in Moscow has informed Soviet Government that British Government would like the representatives of Soviet Union, the United States, and Great Britain on the Political-Military Commission to deliver to French Committee of National Liberation in names of their Governments identical notes containing an official invitation to the representative of the French Committee to participate in work of the Commission. The note states that in the draft proposed by British Government for the identical notes “it is stated with reference to the competence of the Political-Military Commission that the representatives of the three Governments and of the French Committee of National Liberation would give joint or separate advice to the three Governments or to the Committee of Liberation but would not have powers to make final decisions nor would they of course interfere in the military functions of Allied Commander-in-Chief.”
Molotov states that in replying to the British Government the Soviet Government has agreed to official invitation to the representative of the French Committee to participate in Commission, and Molotov continues: “With reference to definition of the competence of the Political-Military Commission the Soviet Government has proposed to make a change in the British draft of the official invitation to the effect that Political-Military Commission should direct and coordinate activity of all military organs and of any civil authorities of Allies which are organized on enemy territory concerning questions of armistice and of control over fulfillment of the armistice and that in accordance with this the Political-Military Commission can also issue from time to time instructions and directives to Government of Italy and, in analogous circumstances, to governments of other Axis countries, while military operational questions remain completely under the direction of the Allied Commanders-in-Chief.”43
- In telegram No. 1000, October 16, 1943, the Department instructed the Ambassador as follows: “‘With reference to the last paragraph of your telegram no. 1619, October 15, 11 a.m. you should orally draw Mr. Molotov’s attention to the views of this Government as set forth in the Department’s telegram no. 963 and conveyed to him by you.” For telegram No. 963, October 8, see p. 793.↩