Office of the Historian

Moscow Embassy Files: 500 Conference of Foreign Ministers: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Caffery)77

Moscow, December 20, 1945—8 p.m.

451. The following is the formula referred to in my preceding telegram:

Preparation of Peace Treaties

“Notwithstanding the decision of the Council of Foreign Ministers regarding the participation of the members of the Council, adopted on 11th September, in the drawing up by the Council of treaties of peace with Italy, Roumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland only members of the Council who are, or under the Berlin Agreement are deemed to be, signatory of the surrender terms, will participate, unless [Page 707] and until the Council takes further action under the Berlin Agreement to invite other members on questions directly concerning them.

“The Council will convoke a Conference under the provisions of II, 4(ii) of the Berlin Agreement for the purpose of considering treaties of peace with Italy, Roumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland. The Conference will consist of the five members of the Council, which also constituted the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, together with all members of the United Nations which actively waged war With substantial military force against European members of the Axis. The Conference will be held in London and will begin its proceedings not later than . . . . . . . . . It will take as the bases for its discussion reports of the Deputies with any modifications agreed upon by the governments of the Deputies in question.

“After full hearing and discussion by the invited states, and upon consideration of their recommendations, the final texts of the respective peace treaties shall be drawn up by States signatory to the terms of the respective armistices (including France in the case of the peace treaty with Italy).

“Final texts of the respective peace treaties as so drawn up will be submitted for the signature to those of the United Nations at war with the respective enemy states.”

Following is the list of states to be invited:

  • “U.S.A.
  • U.S.S.R.
  • United Kingdom
  • France
  • China
  • Australia
  • Belgium
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Czechoslovakia
  • Ethiopia
  • Greece
  • India
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Union of South Africa
  • Yugoslavia
  • White Russia
  • Ukraine”

Please acknowledge receipt.

[Byrnes]
  1. Identical message sent to Chungking as telegram 246, December 20.↩