Office of the Historian

740.00119 EW 1939/8–2644: Telegram

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

Moscow, August 26, 1944—3 a.m.
[Received August 26—1:30 a.m.]

3159. For the President and the Secretary. Molotov called the British Ambassador and myself over at 1:30 a.m. and made the following oral statement.

“In order to support the prestige of the new Rumanian Government and in view of present developments the Soviet Government does not deem it advisable to introduce new armistice conditions. An agreement should be reached with the Rumanian Government on the signing of an armistice based upon the conditions that were proposed in April with the three additions requested by the Rumanian representatives in Cairo:

(1)
The allocating to the Rumanians of a free zone for their seat of government,
(2)
the granting of a period of 15 days for the German troops to evacuate from Rumania,
(3)
regarding the reduction in the size of the indemnity.

The new armistice conditions proposed by the British Government may be discussed in Moscow with the representatives of the three Allied Governments.

These negotiations according to the view of the Soviet Government should take place in Moscow.”

Molotov agreed to the British proposal that the British Ambassador and myself participate in all negotiations with the Rumanian delegates. He explained that he had been informed that two Rumanian [Page 197] officers had been sent to Istanbul to contact representatives of the Allies and Molotov proposed that these men should come on to Moscow at once. He had informed the Soviet Ambassadors in Ankara and Cairo to this effect.

Molotov explained that the Bed Army had trapped 12 German divisions in the region of Kishenev. These divisions would not be permitted to be evacuated. He was confident they would be made prisoners of war by the Red Army.

Molotov asked for the most urgent reply and Clark Kerr said he felt sure it would be forthcoming from the British Government in the morning.

Sent to Department as number 3159 (repeated for the Ambassadors to Cairo and to Ankara as secret).

Harriman