Roosevelt Papers: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the President1
urgent
(Personal and secret for the President from Harriman)
As Stalin is laid up with the grippe for a few days I delivered your message of November 82 to Molotov. He said that he would convey it at once to Stalin. We went over the cable in detail and he asked a number of questions to be sure he understood the suggested arrangements. He was particularly anxious to find out what military subjects would be discussed in Cairo so that the Soviet staff could be adequately prepared, also how large a staff you and the Prime Minister were taking. I hope you will give me some information on these subjects to pass on to Molotov.
He asked me whether I thought you had noticed in Stalin’s cable of November 53 that Stalin had said his colleagues had been resisting his leaving the Soviet Union at this time because of the great complexity of the situation at the front. I told him that you obviously considered Stalin’s offer to meet you at Tehran still stood.
Molotov made it clear however that he was not attempting to speak for Stalin. Nevertheless I emphasized to Molotov the urgency of your receiving a favorable reply before you left.
Stalin’s illness is genuine but not serious. Molotov assured me that he would be up and about again in two or three days.
I shall certainly insist on seeing him if any difficulty arises.