[Enclosure—Translation]
Mr. Ignatius L.
Yourin to the American Minister (Crane)
Monsieur le Ministre, At the request of the
Government and the people of the Far Eastern Republic I have the
honour to communicate to you their sympathy and friendly feelings
which I beg you to transmit to the Government and the people of the
United States.
The Far Eastern Republic being against an armed intervention and
interference with its domestic affairs, is trying to come to an
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understanding and enter
into normal economic relations with her neighbours. The Russian
people of the Far East are firmly convinced that all the recent
misunderstandings could be regarded as a matter of the past and be
forgotten, and that from now on they might not only live in peace
with the American people, but also obtain their friendly help in the
building of a new democratic State.
The Constituent Assembly elected by universal suffrage and now
holding its sessions, has granted to the people all civil rights,
has proclaimed the inviolability of private property and has
introduced in the province of economic policy freedom of trade and
the porte ouverte principle. The enormous
natural resources of the Far East, the large stores of coal and
petroleum in Kamchatka and Saghalien, the gold ores in the Amur
region and the rare Wolfram ores in Transbaikalia, the immense
wealth of fish, furs and timber—all these are open to private
capital, and the Government of the new Republic is trying to create
conditions favourable for the exploitation of these resources and
for the application of foreign capital in the Far East.
The Government of the Far Eastern Republic has expressed its
readiness to grant economic concessions to foreign capitalists for
the exploitation of the natural resources, for the extension of
railway and telegraph lines, and for the development of industry.
The Constituent Assembly which represents all the classes of the
population, has very emphatically pointed out the necessity of
building up an independent government upon the above principles, and
looks forward to the cooperation of the United States of
America.
The very fact that even now many large American industrial
organizations are successfully carrying on negotiations for the
exploitation of the petroleum resources, as well as for securing
concessions, shows how important it is for the interests of the two
countries to come into a closer contact. A firm ground for the
realization of the proposed work and assurance for the future can
only be obtained by having Government guarantees, which would be the
result of a mutual understanding reached between the Governments of
the two countries.
The Far Eastern Republic has for the short period of her existence
proved her vitality and has always shown resistance to all those who
have tried to force their will upon her. The young Republic hopes to
meet with the support of the truly democratic countries and
considers as a matter of prime importance a close relationship
between the Far Eastern Republic and America, because only through
such a relationship can the mutual position be defined in the face
of any possible conflicts which may take place in the Far East.
As the Far Eastern Republic owing to her isolation was unable to
bring to light her aims and purposes, it now seems most expedient
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that an end should be
put to such isolation, and that the United States Government should
be reliably informed of the newly organized State from Government
sources. For this purpose the Government of the Far Eastern Republic
considers it necessary to exchange representatives with the United
States of America.
The Government of the Far Eastern Republic conceives the aim of her
Mission to America that of clarifying the matters of political and
governmental relationship and also regards the problem of the
Mission that of entering into commercial agreements, achieving
economic contact between the Far Eastern Republic and the United
States, inviting foreign capital for the development of industry,
signing contracts for concessions, realizing the possibilities of
large trade exchange, obtaining information with regard to the
possible application of American capital to the exploitation of the
natural resources of the Far Eastern Republic, investigating the
principal markets for the purpose of establishing commercial
relations, and finally that of creating in conjunction with the
Government of the United States general conditions for rapprochement based on the mutual
understanding and confidence of the two Republics.
I have the honour to request Your Excellency to bring this
communication to the attention of your Government, and to inform
them that an American representative duly accredited to the
Government of the Far Eastern Republic will be welcomed in Chita,
and to ask the American Government whether it will agree to receive
our Mission in Washington.
May I express the hope, Monsieur le Ministre, that in view of the
importance of all the matters referred to above, you will exert all
possible efforts for their early solution, and that you will consent
to inform me of the reply of the Department of State as soon as you
have received it.
I avail myself [etc.]
[
Ignatius L.
Yourin
The President of the
Mission of the Far Eastern Republic to China]
Peking, March 26th,
1921.