761.93/7–545: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to President Truman and the Secretary of State 73
051139. I called on Dr. Soong this morning and carried out the instructions contained in White House message number 30873a regarding Outer Mongolia. He repeated what he said in our first talk that he was asking for the information for his own guidance and that he had no intention of bringing the United States’ understanding or interpretation of the various provisions of the Yalta Agreement into his discussions with Stalin. He recognizes that this would be unwise from his own standpoint as well as from that of the United States.
He expects to see Stalin tonight again and to inform him that he is prepared to accept the Yalta provision on Outer Mongolia as worded. He will tell Stalin again that no government in China could survive if it recognized the independence of Outer Mongolia and hopes to be able to convince Stalin that the Generalissimo cannot agree to do so. He is hopeful that if he can come to an agreement with Stalin over Outer Mongolia an understanding can be worked out in regard to the ports and railroads.
He would greatly appreciate however receiving informally our attitude in regard to the questions raised in my number 031500 [031200].73b If no agreement can be reached however on Outer Mongolia he states the conversations will break down. I urged on him the desirability of arriving at an agreement on a bilateral basis and pointed out the many [dis]advantages of the failure to reach an understanding at this time.