[Subenclosure—Translation45]
The Peoples Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the
Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic (Chicherin) to the Governments of the United
States, China, France, Great Britain, Italy, and
Japan
The Russian Government learns through the foreign press that a
conference of powers possessing sovereignty or having interests in
the Pacific area will shortly be held in Washington.
The Russian Government, as a sovereign Pacific power, cannot conceal
its astonishment at learning of the existence of the intention to
call such a conference without its participation.
Although the Russian Republic and the Far Eastern Democratic Republic
possess territories on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the powers
which adopted the decision to meet in Washington neglected to invite
the Russian and Far Eastern Republics to this conference. This fact,
extremely serious in itself, is made still more so by the
circumstance that, during the exchange of views on this subject,
concerning which communications were made to the press, the right of
Russia to participate in a conference for the discussion of
questions connected with the Pacific was fully admitted. But the
abovementioned powers declare that they will themselves take into
consideration the interests of Russia, without the latter’s
representation, and reserve the matter of inviting eventually a new
Russian Government, which should replace the present one, to accede
to the decisions and agreements they adopt.
The Russian Government can in no case agree to other powers taking
upon themselves the right to speak for it, especially since this
ostracism is intended to apply only to the [Workers’ and Peasants’
Government, while any]45a
counter-revolutionary government which
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might replace it would not be subjected to such
ostracism. Such an attitude on the part of the aforementioned powers
can only be interpreted as clearly favoring the Russian
counter-revolution, and as a fresh manifestation of the
interventionist system.
The Russian Government strongly protests against its exclusion from a
conference which touches it directly, and against any intention of
any power whatsoever to adopt decisions touching the Pacific without
consulting Russia.
The Russian Government solemnly declares that it will not recognize
any decision taken by the above-mentioned conference, inasmuch as
this gathering is being held without its participation. Whatever may
be the decisions of this conference, the Russian Government, not
participating in it, maintains for that reason complete freedom of
action in all questions there discussed, and will exercise this
freedom of action in all circumstances and by all means which it
considers proper. It will thus be able to upset any plans whose
realization may be prepared by this conference which may be hostile
towards it or not in accordance with its views. The Russian
Government believes it is warranted in asserting that the decisions
of this conference will be null and of no effect in view of the
absence and nonparticipation of one of the principal interested
parties.
At the same time the Russian Government considers itself obliged to
declare that it can regard the preference eventually to be shown by
the above-mentioned Governments to a counter-revolutionary
government replacing it only as a hostile act directed against
itself and against the Russian workers and peasants whose will it
represents.
The Russian Government has also learned that a more general question,
that of disarmament, or at least naval disarmament, will be
discussed at the coming conference.
The Russian Government can only welcome gladly any attempt at
disarmament or reduction of the military burdens which weigh upon
the toilers in all countries. It considers indispensable, however, a
preliminary knowledge of what guarantees can be given that this
disarmament will really be effected, taking into consideration that
the possibility of such guarantees at the present time seems to it
highly doubtful. Nevertheless, disarmament in itself can only meet
with its sympathy. Disarmament, in its opinion, is one of the
results towards which the extension of social changes such as those
which have occurred in Russia, is bound to lead. The absence,
however, of the Russian Government from an international
deliberation on this subject will merely have the effect of forcing
Russia to ignore the decisions reached, in which the Russian
Government, not being represented, will have no part.
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A policy tending to leave Russia outside the collective decisions of
various powers on questions concerning her, far from conducing to
the settlement of the conflicts at present disturbing the world, can
only render them more acute and more complicated.
Chicherin
Moscow, July 19, 1921.
