860C.01/3–145: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State

597. At a meeting of the Commission on Poland on February 27, Molotov suggested the advisability of Clark Kerr and myself sending representatives to Poland to obtain first-hand information. It was agreed that this question should be held in abeyance but that it might be desirable to give it consideration at a later date. Clark Kerr has today received a telegram from Mr. Churchill stressing the importance of having our representatives in Poland and directing him to send representatives promptly. We hope to have another meeting today with Molotov and if Clark Kerr and Molotov agree on the procedure for sending representatives, I plan to detail Secretary of Embassy, Francis B. Stevens, and a naval officer attached to the Naval Mission here who has lived in Poland and speaks a little Polish, to proceed to Warsaw at such time as may be agreed to. It will, of course, be understood that these British-American delegates will be the personal representatives of Clark Kerr and myself as members of the Commission and in no sense representatives of our Governments accredited to the Warsaw Government.

Clark Kerr and I both feel that the presence of such representatives within Poland will serve to supply us with authoritative first-hand information for use in our discussions here.

It is my plan that if this is done, Durbrow89 will take over during Stevens’ absence the work the latter is now doing in Moscow in connection with the Commission.

Harriman
  1. Elbridge Durbrow, Chief of the Division of Eastern European Affairs, then in Moscow to assist Ambassador Harriman in the meetings of the Commission on Poland.