865.01/2678: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)

1578. Your 2205, June 20, 8 p.m.76 The Department has made every effort to keep you fully and promptly informed of its position and of developments concerning the establishment of the Bonomi Government. At the time the Department’s 1502, June 17, noon, was drafted and also at the time it was sent, the Department had no knowledge of the decision of the Advisory Council with respect to the new Government and consequently no information concerning the position to be taken by the Soviet representative other than Stalin’s message to Churchill quoted in the Department’s 1489, June 14.

In the Department’s 1501 of June 1676 you were informed that the Advisory Council would meet on June 17, 4 p.m., Naples time. Summaries of the Council’s meeting and General Wilson’s implementations of its recommendations were sent to you when the facts were known in the Department. (Department’s circular telegrams of June 20, 2 and 8 p.m.77) The principal reason for the Department’s 1502 was to insure that the Soviet Government was informed of and understood our position with respect to the Bonomi Government. While the Department hoped that the Soviet position would be similar the important phase of this action was to keep the Soviet Government informed of developments from our viewpoint and this you have done.

Kirk and Murphy have been specially instructed to repeat direct to you all telegrams to the Department concerning the deliberations and recommendations of the Advisory Council.

Hull
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