PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM LORD HALIFAX FOR THE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION OF THE PRESIDENT. His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have now received the final replies of the French and Soviet Governments to the proposals summarized in my message of March 21st. They have also received a preliminary indication of the views of the Polish Government. The Soviet reply expresses agreement and accepts the text of the proposed declaration, which the Soviet Government will sign as soon as France and Poland have accepted. The Soviet Government are anxious that not only the Balkan but also the Baltic and Scandinavian countries should be invited to adhere after publication. The French reply expresses entire assent. In conversation with the Prime Minister and myself in London the French Minister for Foreign Affairs has however emphasized the importance of Polish participation and the difficulty of securing this in view of Soviet participation. The Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs informed His Majesty's Ambassador at Warsaw on March 21st that the proposal demanded very serious consideration. His chief preoccupation was the suggested participation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in view of which Polish participation |