865.01/2676: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 19—3:03 a.m.]
2186. Department’s 1502, June 17, noon. As Molotov was unable to see me today I called on Vyshinski to inform him of the position of my Government in regard to the Bonomi government and left with [him?] a memo summarizing the pertinent points of the Department’s cables on this question. I said that I was aware of the exchange of messages between the Prime Minister and Stalin on the matter and added that Secretary Hull hoped that on further consideration the Soviet Government after recovering from surprise at the manner the recent political developments in Italy had taken place would view this question in the same light as we do. Vyshinski stated that it was his understanding that the Advisory Council would consider this question on June 17. I said that my memo was the line which Kirk would follow at the meeting. In reply to my inquiry as to instructions to the Soviet representative he said that the Soviet representative had been instructed to work out a solution with the American and British representatives on the Council. Vyshinski said that he would transmit the memo to his Government and expressed the hope that agreement could be reached in the same spirit in which we personally were then discussing the matter. I explained that we had no previous information as to the change in the Italian Government and made it clear that we had been in no way involved. Vyshinski readily accepted my statement. He said that the Soviet Government had first thought that there had been previous agreement by all concerned including the Soviet representative but later discovered that he too had received no advance information with respect to developments.
Sent to the Department, repeated to Naples.