Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The British Commonwealth and Europe, Volume III

865.01/2701

The First Secretary of the British Embassy (Hayter) to Mr. J. Wesley Jones of the Division of Southern European Affairs

Washington, March 13, 1944.

Dear Johnny: I send you for your information a copy of a telegram sent on March 12th by the Foreign Office to the British Ambassador in Moscow.

Yours sincerely,

William Hayter

[Enclosure]

The British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Eden) to the British Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Clark Kerr)

[London,] March 12, 1944.

It is satisfactory that the realistic views of Vyshinski seem to have prevailed in Moscow in that the Soviet Government would appear to be willing to continue working with Badoglio and King Victor at any rate until we get to Rome. There are, however, objections to the establishment at this stage of direct diplomatic relations between the Soviet and Italian Governments. The establishment of such relations if followed by those of other Allied Powers would undermine the whole basis of the Advisory Council and Allied Control Commission which is the official vehicle for relations between Allied Powers and the Italian Government. In the normal course of events the exchange of diplomatic representatives with the Italian Government would not take place while the Allies are still at war with Italy which will continue to be position until the armistice is replaced by the peace treaty. It is true that we are sending out Charles⁷⁸ but we do not contemplate accrediting him as Ambassador. The intention is that he shall be High Commission[er] and British member of the Advisory Council.

Please ask the Soviet Government urgently whether it is their intention to establish direct diplomatic relations with the Italian Government and if this is the case represent to them the disadvantages mentioned in the preceding paragraph, ask them for their reasons and press them to allow us and the U.S. Government to consider the question in all its aspects before they proceed with their intention.

Whatever the merits of the Russian proposals, I find it extraordinary that Monsieur Bogomolov appears to have canvassed the matter with the Italian Government without a word to us and without the Soviet Government having said a word to us in the matter and I think you should make this plain.

78. Sir Noel Charles was appointed British High Commissioner to Italy, April 5, 1944.