661.1115/38

The Chargé in Great Britain (Wright) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

550. My no. 514, March 27. From a source in the Foreign Office I have learned informally that in theory a committee representing the Supreme Economic Council will conduct the trade negotiations here with the representatives of the Russian cooperatives but that in fact British officials will conduct these negotiations with the Russians. The method by which the blockade should be lifted has been a matter of inter-Allied concern since the decision on January 20 by the Supreme Council. Owing, however, to the indifference of the French and Italian representatives, this has become now primarily a British affair. Probably the conversations will be conducted by Foreign Office representatives, especially from the Overseas Trade Department.

[Page 709]

Arrangements will be made next week in Copenhagen for the journey of the representatives of the cooperatives to England. Mr. E. F. Wise, who represents Great Britain on the Supreme Economic Council, will leave tomorrow or Monday for Denmark for this purpose. O’Malley, a senior clerk of the Foreign Office’s Russian Department will probably accompany him. I gather that only trade negotiations are to be expected for the present. Curzon and Hardinge94 still oppose parleying with the Bolsheviki although the higher officials in the Russian Department apparently favor such a course.

Wright
  1. Baron Hardinge, British Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs.