Office of the Historian

760C.60F/6–1945: Telegram

The Chargé in Czechoslovakia (Klieforth) to the Secretary of State

Praha, June 19, 1945—6 p.m.
[Received July 2—10 a.m.]

24. Czech Govt has accepted Soviet invitation to send delegation to Moscow to negotiate with Polish representation all questions relating to mutual relations of both states. Delegation consists of Prime Minister,18 Acting Foreign Minister,19 Minister of Trade20 and Minister [Page 515] of Public Health,21 representing four existing political parties,22 leaving June 22 for Moscow, dementis informed me that negotiations involve various boundary disputes and incidents, principally regarding Poland’s refusal to acknowledge Czech claim to Teschen District.23 Minister for Foreign Affairs added that Czechoslovakia willing to abide by all pre-Munich frontier lines with Poland but not at expense of Czecho claim for rectification of Czecho–German frontier especially the incorporation of Glatz24 area. Latter area now under nominal control of Polish authorities. I have impression that invitation which was sudden and unexpected was issued solely upon initiative of Moscow.

Klieforth
  1. Zdenek Fierlinger, Czechoslovak Premier after April 4, 1945.↩
  2. Vladimir Clementis, Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩
  3. Hubert Ripka.↩
  4. Adolf Proeházka.↩
  5. The Social Democratic Party was represented by Fierlinger, the Communist Party by Clementis, the National Socialist Party by Ripka, and the People’s Party by Procházka.↩
  6. Telegram 55, July 2, from Prague, reported that Teschen (in Czech, Tesin) had been occupied by Czech troops following liberation, but subsequently the Czechs had withdrawn and the Poles had occupied the city; some border incidents had followed (860F.01/7–245).↩
  7. In Czech, Kladsko.↩