The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to President Roosevelt 97
Since the meetings with the Poles reported in my 141625,98 Churchill and Eden have found it impossible to [obtain?] Mikolajczyk’s agreement to any [frontier?] formula regarding the boundary question acceptable to Stalin. The proposed meeting therefore between the two Polish groups has so far not taken place. Churchill lias had a further long personal talk with Stalin in which Stalin explained more clearly his conception that the Curzon Line must be accepted as the basis for the boundary. He envisions certain minor adjustments up to 7 or 8 kilometers one way or another when the exact boundary is demarked, but no major change. Churchill told Stalin that, although he did not know your position, you [might?] well at the final settlement wish to make a strong appeal for generosity to the Poles by allowing the retention of Lwow. To this Stalin made no comment.
Churchill came to an amicable agreement with Stalin that if it was found impossible to reach now a settlement between the Poles, both groups would return to their respective seats of government and a public statement would be issued to the general effect that useful conferences have been held and that both groups had returned to consult their associates. Thus there would be no breaking off of negotiations and further steps might be undertaken at some later time.