861.77 Chinese Eastern/198: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 13—9:18 a.m.]
701. Legation’s 700, August 13, 4 p.m. French Legation has been informed by Consul at Harbin that he has learned from semi-official sources that the Soviet Government is declining to negotiate with representatives of the Nanking Government on the ground that it no longer has relations with that Government but will negotiate only locally with the Manchurian authorities. The Soviet Government takes the position that if the status quo ante under the 1924 agreements is not restored, it will claim all rights accruing to Russia under the Portsmouth Treaty of 1905.50
2. Captain Powell who has just returned from Manchuria reports that there is considerable jealousy and difference of view between the Nanking and Manchurian authorities. It is in fact stated that the Manchurian authorities are as much concerned over their relations with Nanking in the matter of the Chinese Eastern Railway as they are over their actual difficulties with Moscow. If the foregoing report from French sources is correct it would appear that Karakhan is quite aware of the differences between Nanking and Manchuria and plans to take full advantage thereof.
- Treaty of peace between Japan and Russia, signed at Portsmouth, N. H., September 5, 1905; Foreign Relations, 1905, p. 824.↩