Roosevelt Papers: Telegram
Prime Minister Churchill to President Roosevelt 1
Prime Minister to President Roosevelt. Personal and Top Secret number 874. Your 690.2
In none of your telegrams about Argonaut have you mentioned whether U. J. likes this place and agrees to it and what kind of accommodation he can provide. I am looking forward to receiving this. It has occurred to some of us that he might come back and say “Why don’t you come on the other four hours and let me entertain you in Moscow?” However, I am preparing for Y[alta] and am sending a larger liner which will cover all our troubles.
Would it not be possible for you to spend 2 or 3 nights at Malta and let the staffs have a talk together unostentatiously? Also, Eisenhower and Alexander could both be available there. We think it very important that there should be some conversation on matters which do not affect the Russians, e. g., Japan, and also about future use of the Italian Armies. You have but to say the word and we can arrange everything.
We are very sorry indeed you will not come to our shores on this journey. We should feel it very much and a very dismal impression would be made if you were to visit France before you come to Britain: In fact, it would be regarded as a slight on your closest ally. I gather however that you will only go the [to] the Mediterranean and Black Sea, in which case it is merely a repetition of Teheran.
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