740.00119 Council/11–2945: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant )36
10352. Personal for Winant. Please deliver following message to Bevin:
“I should suggest the following items for inclusion in the agenda of next meeting of Foreign Secretaries:
- “1. The proposal for the establishment of a commission under the United Nations Organization to consider the control of atomic energy in the interest of peace.37
- “2. The reconvening of the Council of Foreign Ministers, including provision for the prompt resumption of work by their deputies in the preparation of peace settlements for a peace conference.
- “3. The terms of reference of the Allied Council for Japan and of the Far Eastern Commission.
- “4. The establishment of an independent government for Korea.
- “5. The disarming of Japanese in, and their evacuation from, Northern China.
- “6. The transfer of the control of Manchuria to the National Government of China.
- “7. The removal of Allied Troops from Iran.
- “8. The establishment of conditions which will permit the recognition of the governments of Bulgaria and Rumania.
- “9. Such other items as may be added by the common consent of the three governments.
“While I am not unmindful of the common criticism that there was inadequate preparation for the London Conference, I cannot agree that the shortcomings of the Conference were due to insufficient preparatory work. It was always intended that the technical work on the treaties should be prepared by the Deputies and they never got started on their work because of conflicts which in no way were caused by lack of preparation. Events are moving too rapidly to permit the quarterly meeting of Foreign Secretaries which was intended to deal with current problems, to be delayed pending prolonged diplomatic exchanges.
[Page 588]“While our Government is eager to work in closest cooperation with yours, I think you will agree it is not necessary or desirable that we should reach agreement on every detail before discussions with the Soviet Union.
“On the first suggested item for the agenda, there has been an exchange of views between President Truman and Prime Minister Attlee and we hope to talk further with Lord Halifax and Ambassador Pearson43 regarding our common proposal. After such talks we will submit you a memorandum.
“As to the second item, the peace machinery, the compromise proposal I made at London was not rejected by Molotov who merely stated he could not accept it without personal consultation with his Government. In his talks with Harriman, Stalin accepted the peace conference idea, but reserved judgment as to whether there should be one or more peace conferences and differed as to the states to be invited. I am hopeful that my compromise in substance will be accepted. But I do not think that acceptance can be secured until we meet.
“As to the third item, we have kept your Embassy informed of our negotiations with the Soviet Union on the terms of reference for the Allied Council and the Far Eastern Commission and the issues have been narrowed as far as they can be through diplomatic channels.
“As to the fourth item, we are prepared to press for the establishment of an independent Korean government. If that is not acceptable, we would favor a trusteeship under the United Nations for a limited period of time similar to that which we suggested for the Italian colonies.
“Item 5 is inserted so that we can make clear to the Soviets the limited purpose of our military mission in Northern China and to draw from them a statement of their own policy towards developments there.
“Similarly item 6 is intended to secure a reaffirmation from the Soviets of Soviet policy under the recent Sino-Soviet Agreement.44
“As to item 7 you are fully informed with regard to our views as to the desirability of having all Allied troops promptly withdrawn from Iran.
“The inclusion of item 8 will naturally depend on the consent of the Soviets. If they consent, I should think that that would be some evidence [Page 589] of their willingness to reach some compromise. While I wish to talk with Ethridge45 before I make any definite proposals, I wish to press for a reasonable broadening of the base of the present governments to include responsible leaders of the principal peasant parties with a promise of free elections as soon as foreign troops are withdrawn.
“Molotov has agreed to December 15 as the date of the meeting. Please let me know whether you agree. If so please state time you suggest for simultaneous announcement from the three capitals. [”]
- In telegram 2435, December 1, 6 p.m., to Moscow, the substance of this message was transmitted to Ambassador Harriman for his information but not for communication to the Soviet Government (740.00119 Council/12–145).↩
- For documentation regarding this subject, see pp. 1 ff.↩
- Lester Pearson, Canadian Ambassador in the United States.↩
- Presumably reference here is to the Agreement of August 14, 1945, between the Soviet Union and China regarding relations between the Soviet Commander in Chief and the Chinese administration following the entry of Soviet forces into the territory of the “‘Three Eastern Provinces” of China in connection with military operations against Japan; for text, see United Nations Treaty Series, vol. 10, p. 331; Department of State Bulletin, February 10, 1946, p. 206; or Department of State, Far Eastern Series No. 30; United States Relations with China (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1949), p. 592.↩
- Mark Ethridge of the Louisville Courier Journal was serving as special representative of the Secretary of State to investigate conditions in the Balkans preparatory to the recognition of the governments of Rumania and Bulgaria. For Ethridge’s final reports on his missions to Bulgaria and Rumania during October and November 1945, see his memorandum dated December 7, and his letter to the Secretary of State dated December 8, vol. v, pp. 633 and 638, respectively.↩