740.00119 Council/12–845: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)64
2478. Personal for Harriman. Please deliver the following message from President Truman to Stalin:
“In approving Mr. Byrnes’ suggestion to Mr. Molotov that a meeting of the three Foreign Secretaries be convened before the close of the year, I was not unmindful of the view that no meeting should be held until there was greater assurance of progress toward agreement on outstanding questions. But I felt that at this critical time continued drift and delay would be exceedingly unwise.
“I sincerely hope that you will cooperate with me to make the meeting a success and to give renewed assurance of the ability of the great powers to work together.
“I wish very much to have Mr. Byrnes convey to you a personal message from me. I earnestly hope that you will be able to see and talk frankly with him at an early date while he is in Moscow. Please let me know whether this will be possible.”
- File copy bears the marginal endorsement “OK HST” in the President’s handwriting.↩