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NLT-201 in CR 10240 DECLASSINTED by authority of DIT 231936 1945 V.P.II P.1172 Initialshis- Dater 7-73 23 MAY 1945 PRIORITY PERSONAL AND TOP SECRET 8. NUMBER 47 us SERVICET AND TO: THE PRIME MINISTER FROM: THE PRESIDENT THE FOLLOWING QUOTED MESSAGE IS RECEIVED FROM MARSHAL STALIN THIS DATE: "I HAVE RECEIVED ON MAY 21 YOUR MESSAGE ON THE QUESTION OF ISTRIA-TRIESTE. SOMEWHAT EARLIER I HAVE ALSO RECEIVED FROM YOU, THROUGH MR.KENNAN, THE TEXT OF THE MESSAGE TRANSMITTED BY THE AMERICAN AMBASSA- DOR IN BELGRADE TO THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT ON THE SAME QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR THIS I INFORMATION. "IN REGARD TO THE ESSENCE OF THE QUESTION I HAVE TO SAY THE FOLLOWING: "YOUR OPINION, THAT THIS QUESTION IS OF PRIN- CIPLE AND THAT IN RESPECT TO THE TERRITORY OF ISTRIA- TRIESTE NO ACTION SHOULD BE ALLOWED WHICH WILL NOT FULLY CONSIDER THE LAWFUL CLAIMS OF YUGOSLAVIA AND THE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY THE YUGOSLAV ARMED FORCES TO THE COMMON CAUSE OF THE ALLIES IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST HITLERITE GERMANY, SEEMS TO BE QUITE CORRECT. Mr. Gallnon Ada Starts