File No. 861.00/365

Ambassador Francis to the Secretary of State

No. 657

Sir: In my unnumbered despatch of yesterday,1 I gave the details and sequence of my recognition on behalf of our Government of the new Government of Russia.

[Page 1212]

I have the honor to forward herewith copies of the correspondence between the American Embassy and the Foreign Office on the subject.

I have [etc.]

D. R. Francis
[Inclosure]

The Minister for Foreign Affairs to Ambassador Francis

Mr. Ambassador: By a note of the 9th/22d instant, your excellency was good enough to set forth the circumstances accompanying the recognition by the American Government of the Russian Provisional Government, that is to say, that your excellency, having received on March 9th/22nd instructions from your Government to formally and officially recognize this Government was good enough to call on me at eleven o’clock in the morning of the same day to inform me of the said decision of the Government of the United States and that the same day, at half past four in the afternoon, having come to the Council of Ministers with the staff of the Embassy, you were officially introduced by me to the Premier as well as to the Council and were good enough on that occasion, according to the instructions of your Government, to officially communicate the news that the Government of the United States recognizes the Russian Provisional Government.

I have the honor to thank you for this courteous communication and would appreciate it if you would kindly transmit to the Federal Government the lively gratitude of the Russian Provisional Government for the proof of friendly sympathy which the United States has been good enough to extend through its decision to the new democratic régime established in Russia.

I am certain that henceforth the ties of traditional friendship which unite our countries will become still closer and imbued with greater confidence for the good of the two Nations.

Be good enough to accept [etc.]

Paul Milioukov
  1. Not printed.