760C.61/2131
The Chargé Near the Polish Government in Exile (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 3, 1944.]
Sir: Referring to my telegram No. 92 of December 24, 5 p.m., regarding the question of possible resumption of Soviet-Polish relations, [Page 493] I have the honor to report that I yesterday had a conversation on this subject with Mr. Tadeusz Romer, the Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Romer referred to recent Polish conversations with Mr. Eden following his return from the Middle East and said that Mr. Eden had indicated that the Soviet Government was disposed to see Polish-Soviet relations restored, and that he had gained the distinct impression that the Soviet Union was not aiming at a Communist Poland.
Mr. Eden had also indicated that the Russians were particularly concerned regarding the treatment of Soviet parachutists who had landed in Poland and their shooting by members of the Polish Underground organization. Mr. Romer said he had told Mr. Eden that the Polish authorities had given no such orders to the Underground in Poland, despite the fact that the activities of Soviet parachutists had led to severe reprisals by the Germans on the Polish population. The Germans had, for example, destroyed whole villages as a result of their activities.
Mr. Romer went on to say that the whole question of coordinating the activities of Russian parachutists and the Polish Underground had been the subject of conversations between Soviet and Polish officials in the past. He had taken up the matter last February when he was still Polish Ambassador at Moscow, and had in fact made a special trip to London and flown back to Moscow with concrete proposals. The discussions had, however, led to no result.
The Poles, Mr. Romer continued, had every intention of maintaining the struggle against the Germans. They had no desire to clash with the Russians. To avoid this he thought it was essential that some arrangement be worked out before the Russian forces actually reached Poland.
At the suggestion of Mr. Eden, the Polish Government was now drawing up its views on the matter for submission to the British in order that they might take it up with the Russians.
I enquired of Mr. Romer how he envisaged the actual procedure for restoring relations. He was vague in his answer and said that the matter might develop out of the presentation by the British of Polish views regarding relations between the Polish Underground and the Russians. There were many difficulties but it might be possible to work out something, leaving the question of frontiers for later on.
I remarked that the problem of Polish-Soviet relations thus appeared to be in movement and enquired whether he felt encouraged. He said that “encouraged” was too strong a word, but he was not without hope that progress might be made.
Mr. Romer then said there was one thing which caused him some disquiet. Ambassador Ciechanowski had reported that the authorities [Page 494] in Washington thought it desirable to leave to the British the active conduct of negotiations with the Soviets regarding resumption of Polish-Soviet relations. He recognized that there might be technical or tactical reasons for this, but he personally felt some disquiet lest the Russians interpret this as meaning that the United States was disinteresting itself in the question. He was confident that this was not the case but was fearful that the Russians might think so. He knew the Russians and felt they were particularly interested in our attitude toward them. He stressed that this in no way applied as criticism. He had felt, however, that he should mention his disquiet.
Respectfully yours,