Your second message about the Council of Ministers
has reached me.

Today I have received V. M. Molotov's reply, which says that he adheres to the Berlin Conference resolution and considers that that resolution should not be violated. For my part I must stress that at the Berlin Conference we neither resolved nor agreed that members of the Council who had not signed the surrender terms could participate in discussions but not vote.

I think that Molotov's stand in the sense of strict adherence to the Berlin Conference decision cannot make a bad impression or offend anyone.