800.0146/209: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Hamilton) to the Acting Secretary of State

1639. Department’s 894, September 23, 5 p.m. The Embassy has received from the Foreign Office a memorandum dated October 16 replying as follows to the Embassy’s memorandum communicating to the Soviet Government the numbered observations concerning the draft declaration regarding the administration of liberated enemy territories contained in the Department’s telegram under reference:

  • “1. The reference contained in the memorandum to the participation of a representative of the Soviet Government in the Committee known as the Leith-Ross Committee6 is without foundation since actually a Soviet representative did not enter this Committee and took no part in its work.
  • 2. The Soviet Government affirms the agreement in the viewpoints of the Soviet and American Governments on the question of responsibility for the administration of enemy territories of the command of the Armed Forces conquering these territories. The Soviet Government also notes with satisfaction the agreement of the Government of the United States of America with the views of the Soviet Government respecting the drawing into participation in the administration of local personages as set forth in the letter of V. M. Molotov dated September 14, 1943.7 The Soviet Government however does not share the opinion expressed in the memorandum that the decision of the question of the degree and time of such participation by such personages should be left to the Allied Command of the respective areas since this question in the opinion of the Soviet Government should be brought within the competence of the Political-Military Commission.
  • 3. With respect to the question of the supreme authority of the Allied Command over territories liberated from enemy occupation which is discussed in paragraph 3 of the memorandum and also to the question of the attitude of the Soviet Government toward the draft statement which was communicated by Mr. Standley in his note of September 6 (Department’s 799, September 4, 10 p.m.) the viewpoint of the Soviet Government concerning these questions was set forth in the letter of the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, V. M. Molotov, dated September 14, 1943 (Embassy’s 1364, September 15, 1 p.m. [11 a.m.]).[”]

Hamilton
  1. The Inter-Allied Committee on Post-War Requirements, of which Sir Frederick Leith-Ross, Chief Economic Adviser to the British Government, had been Chairman since 1942. See telegram No. 928, September 29, 10 p.m., to the Chargé in the Soviet Union, p. 535.
  2. See telegram No. 1364, September 15, 11 a.m., from the Ambassador in the Soviet Union, p. 524.