500.CC/3–1245
The Soviet Embassy to the Department of State 5
Memorandum
On the 9th of March the Soviet Government approached the United States Government on the question of inviting Poland to the International Conference at San Francisco.6 In this connection, the Soviet Government expressed its opinion that if, in view of the complexity of the question, the reorganization of the Polish Provisional Government is not accomplished in the near future, the representatives of the presently functioning Polish Provisional Government in Warsaw, which is exercising authority throughout the entire territory of Poland and enjoys the support of the Polish people, should be invited to the Conference at San Francisco.
Up to the present time the Soviet Government has not received an answer concerning this question. Nevertheless, on the 15th of March Mr. Stettinius made, at a press conference in Washington, a statement7 which is understood to mean that Poland will be represented at the Conference at San Francisco only in the event that a reorganization of the Polish Provisional Government is realized before the Conference. Such a statement, published in the entire press, regarding a still absent answer to the proposal of the Soviet Government of March 9th, creates a situation with which the Soviet Government is not able to reconcile itself.
At present, the Soviet Government declares that it awaits a prompt reply to the proposal it has made regarding the inviting of Poland [Page 148] to the Conference at San Francisco and expresses hope for a favorable resolution of the question raised by it.
- Handed to the Acting Secretary of State on March 22; see memorandum of conversation, March 23, infra.↩
- See aide-mémoire of March 9, p. 113.↩
- See off-the-record press conference statement by Acting Secretary Grew on March 5, p. 108, Which Secretary Stettinius put on record at his press and radio news conference of March 15 (memorandum not printed).↩