500.CC/10–744: Telegram

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

3841. ReDepts 2373 and 2375, October 6. I have just received a communication from Molotov dated October 6 acknowledging with thanks the Secretary’s message of October 2 and transmitting a copy of a letter of the same date which he had addressed to Clark Kerr concerning the last paragraph of the proposed communiqué to be issued on October 9. In the letter to Clark Kerr, Molotov states that: (1) The Soviet Government considers paragraph 4 of the draft inadmissible as referring to a question not discussed at Dumbarton Oaks and not directly related to the work of that conference. He points out that article 5 of the Moscow Declaration made no mention of the question of the enforcement of surrender terms. (2) Paragraph 4 seems unnecessary since paragraph 3 mentions forthcoming United Nations conference which will discuss Dumbarton Oaks proposals, and thereby covers fully the interests of small countries in participation in discussions on international security. This also obviates possibility of criticism by small allies that the great powers are depriving them of their [Page 889] part in the preparation and execution of a new security system. (3) He hopes that the British Government will not insist on including paragraph 4 in the Communiqué and will in this way make it possible for the first three points, as agreed, to be published at the date considered desirable by the United States Government.

This letter of Molotov crossed the communication I had sent to him this morning in pursuance to Department’s 2373 and 2375 of October 6. This letter however does in fact fully answer the Secretary’s message of October 6.

Harriman