File No. 861.00/365
The Ambassador in Russia (
Francis) to the
Secretary of State
No. 657
Petrograd,
March 13/26, 1917.
[Received May 19.]
Sir: In my unnumbered despatch of
yesterday,1 the
original of which was sent in pouch to Stockholm and a copy of which is
in this pouch, I gave the details and sequence of my recognition on
behalf of our Government of the new Government of Russia.
I have the honor to forward herewith copies of the correspondence between
the American Embassy and the Foreign Office on the subject.2
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs
(
Milyukov) to
the American Ambassador (
Francis)
No. 5112
Petrograd,
March 12/25, 1917.
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 9/22 instructions
from your Government to formally and officially recognize this
Government, was good enough to call on me at 11 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
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day, at half past 4 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 regimé 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.]
