740.00119 EW/4–145: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
816. ReEmbs 1003, April 1, 5 p.m. This Government is glad to learn that the Soviet Government considers it expedient to include a French representative in the Reparation Commission. Please inform Soviet authorities that since Commission will be established in Moscow we will expect them to extend the invitation to the French in behalf of the participating Governments.
With respect to the inclusion of representatives of other countries in the Commission, it is the view of this Government that the membership of the Commission should be identical with that of the European Advisory Commission which is concerned with related questions. Other states could be invited to send representatives to sit with the Commission when matters of direct concern to them are under discussion as is the case with EAC. This Government considers that it would not be equitable to invite additional states to participate as full initial members unless all states concerned were to be included.
US Government hopes that before questions of direct concern to Poland are raised in the Commission, the new Polish Provisional Government of National Unity will have been established.45
Please communicate substance of foregoing to Molotov.
- For documentation on this subject, see vol. v, pp. 110 ff.↩