550.AD1/11: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:45 p.m.]
186. Department’s 122, March 8, 9 p.m.5 Molotov7 handed to me last evening an aide-mémoire reading in translation as follows:
“In an aide-mémoire dated March 11, 1943, the Ambassador of the United States of America informed the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs that the Government of the United States intends to convene on April 27, 1943, in the United States, a conference to consider certain fundamental economic problems and it inquires of the Soviet Government as well as of the Governments of the United Kingdom and of China regarding their attitude toward the proposed convocation of this conference.
On behalf of the Soviet Government the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs states that the Soviet Government is in full accord [Page 823] with the initiative taken by the Government of the United States with respect to this question. The Soviet Government is prepared to send representatives to the conference although it is not sure that these representatives will find it possible to arrive in time in the United States in view of the extremely short time that will remain before the date fixed for the convocation of the conference. The Soviet Government understands that the conference referred to above will be limited to an exchange of opinions on the problems enumerated in paragraphs 1–4 of the aide-mémoire and that accordingly no decisions whatsoever will be taken by the conference which will be binding upon its members.
The Soviet Government also expresses its desire that in the future, questions subject to consideration at conferences and their agenda should undergo preliminary discussions between representatives of the United States, the Soviet Union, England and China so that the framework of the discussions (forma obsuzhoeniyi) might be more fully determined.”
I informed Molotov that I would do everything possible to expedite the travel of the Soviet representatives in order to enable them to arrive in the United States in time for the conference and requested advice as to when they would be ready to leave. Molotov stated that he had no information as to who would be appointed or date of departure, that he would consult Mikoyan8 who was more closely concerned in the matter and communicate again with me.
Molotov expressed interest in the following questions and I would appreciate receiving any advice thereon which the Department may wish to send me for his information: (1) Have the British or Chinese already appointed representatives to the conference and if so who are they; (2) have any problems been submitted for discussion at the conference other than these enumerated in the invitation.