865.01/2256: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
896. For your background information, in view of your statement to Vyshinski (your 1076, March 27, 9 p.m.), which the Department approves, to the effect that Molotov’s reply (your 1050, March 26, 11 a.m.) would not be regarded as satisfactory, we consider it preferable not to pursue the subject further until we are in a position to make some constructive suggestion of our own designed to fit the Soviet representative and his functions into the machinery of Allied control in Italy.
The best solution to achieve this purpose and to reestablish the principle of allied rather than individual approach to Italian political problems appears to be that the Soviet representative in Italy should be made a member of the Political Section of the Allied Control Commission which is the agency of the Control Commission designated to handle relations of the United Nations with the Italian Government. Since any appointment to the Allied Control Commission must be approved by the Civil Affairs Committee of the Combined Chiefs of Staff, this suggestion is being put before them for consideration and we expect to have a reply within a week. If this suggestion is approved you will be instructed to present it to the Soviet Government.