on this subject since the Moscow meeting, if he were now
 
to learn the result of our exchanges of views with the
 
United States Government through the President and not
 
through us he might misinterpret this procedure as 
 
indicating that His Majesty's Government had disinterested
 
themselves in this European problem.
 
     8. An alternative method has therefore occurred to
 
us, and we should like to suggest it to President Roosevelt.
 
M. Stalin, by putting forvrard his condition, has touched upon
 
an issue which is of equal interest to the United States and
 
ourselves, and therefore it would seem that all three Powers
 
should get together to discuss this difficulty. The virtue
 
in this procedure is that such consultation would not only 
 
help to overcome this particular difficulty, but might lead 
 
in the future to close co-operation, both for the conduct of 
 
the war and in the period after the war, between the three
 
principal Powers. We believe that such a prospect would 
 
be welcomed by M. Stalin. If the President would consider
 
the proposal favourably, we should therefore like to propose
 
that tripartite conversations should ensue in London on
 
Mr. Winant' s return.
 
FOREIGN OFFICE.
     25th February, 1942.
!
 
25th February, 1942.