311.6121 Gorin, M. N./40: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 23—7:50 p.m.]
574. My 550, March 20, 9 p.m., Department’s 342, March 21, 8 p.m., and 349, March 22, 6 p.m. I am stunned by the Department’s action in releasing Gorin without affording me the slightest opportunity of capitalizing on the Soviet Government’s intense desire for his release. I had in mind demanding and obtaining the release of Devenis and Mrs. Habicht from imprisonment and exit visas for Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Magidoff in addition to the preliminary offer made by the Soviet Government to release Roszkowski and Irene Pyk in the event that the Department decided to release Gorin. Understanding Soviet psychology as I now do I consider that the precipitous release of Gorin without a definitive agreement in Moscow as to the individuals to be released or granted exit visas by the Soviet Government will result in the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs standing on the exchange proposal reported in my 550, and that the chances of their going beyond the release of Roszkowski and Irene Pyk are slender. The psychological consequence of releasing Gorin from imprisonment without affording me an opportunity of so much as stating specifically the quid pro quo that we expect has destroyed my bargaining position. I am endeavoring to see Lozovski immediately but in view of the fact that Matsuoka37 arrived this afternoon I doubt that I will have an opportunity of endeavoring to make a bargain with him before he hears of Gorin’s release.
If such action is still feasible I urge that measures be taken to prevent Gorin’s departure from the United States until I can at least effect the release of Roszkowski and Pyk from imprisonment.
- Yosuke Matsuoka, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩