740.00116 European War 1939/1187: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:59 p.m.]
8526. The Embassy has received a communication from the Foreign Office suggesting that it might be useful for Mr. Pell to have a general talk with Sir Cecil Hurst, British representative on the United Nations Commission for the Investigation of War Crimes, and Mr. McKinnon Wood, the Commission’s Secretary General, with regard to the Commission’s work particularly in reference to the question of [Page 433] Soviet participation in the work of the Commission. The Foreign Office refers to the fact that no explanation with regard to the Soviet Government’s claim to separate representation on the Commission for certain of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union has yet been given to the other Allied Governments represented on the Commission. The substance of the resolution passed at the preliminary meeting on October 20 inviting His Majesty’s Government to inform the Soviet Government of the wish of the Allied Governments concerned that the Soviet Government should participate in the Commission’s work has been conveyed to the Soviet Ambassador for the information of his Government but no response has yet been received from him.
The Foreign Office feels that in the circumstances the Commission will have to proceed with its work without Soviet participation but that if this is done it will be necessary to explain to the other Allies represented, the reasons for the absence of the Soviet representative, and the question of the Soviet claim will become one for all the Governments represented on the Commission to deal with and should, in the opinion of the Foreign Office, no longer be dealt with by His Majesty’s Government alone.
The British Embassy in Washington is being instructed to discuss the matter with the Department on the foregoing lines and to express the hope that the Department will agree with the British proposed course of action.42
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office thinks it would be useful if arrangements could be made for an informal discussion of these matters with Mr. Pell, Sir Cecil Hurst and Mr. McKinnon Wood, and asks the Embassy to inquire of Mr. Pell whether he would be ready to attend such a meeting and if so whether he would be prepared to do so at an early date or if he would prefer to wait until he has received the instructions of the U.S. Government.
The Foreign Office proposes the following questions which might be discussed at such an informal meeting:
- (1)
- The manner in which the question of the Soviet Government’s views as to participation in the work of the Commission and their claims to separate representation for the constituent republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics should be brought before the other Allies represented upon the Commission;
- (2)
- The manner in which the latter’s views upon this subject should be conveyed to the Soviet Government;
- (3)
- The question of arrangements for keeping the Soviet Government currently informed of the work of the Commission;
- (4)
- The question of inviting the various United Nations Governments not represented upon the Commission to submit to it information regarding war crimes against their own nationals.
Mr. Pell has informed me that he would appreciate the instructions of the Department with regard to this matter. The Foreign Office is being so informed. Mr. Pell further states that while he feels that it is highly desirable that a representative of the Soviet Government should sit on the Commission the urgency of the Commission’s work makes it desirable for it to proceed officially as soon as possible.
The Department’s instructions are urgently requested.
- British Embassy aide-mémoire of December 10, 1943, not printed.↩