800.51 W89 U.S.S.R./132: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:15 p.m.]
330. Continuing my telegram No. 329, September 27, Krestinski informed me that he had requested Troyanovsky to return to Moscow for consultation and that Troyanovsky would leave the United States after September 29. At the same time he informed me that Litvinov would return to Moscow by October 5.
I had previously informed Krestinski that I expected to return to the United States by way of the Far East and that in order to reach home before Christmas and have 10 days in Japan and 10 in China I should have to leave Vladivostok on October 20 which would mean leaving Moscow on October 8. Krestinski said that Troyanovsky [Page 152] would presumably reach Moscow sometime between October 10 and 15 and expressed the hope that I would remain in Moscow long enough to have a number of discussions with Troyanovsky on the subject of debts and claims. I replied that I could see no advantage in such conversations if the Soviet Government adhered to its position of no settlement without a loan.
I should naturally be pleased to be able to carry out my plans as established. I shall have one or two conversations with Litvinov before October 8 and Troyanovsky will certainly have nothing to say to me on arriving in Moscow that he has not already said to you but if in the opinion of the Department it is in the public interest for me to remain in Moscow for conversation with Troyanovsky I am, of course, ready to abandon the trip via the Far East. It might be useful if I should remain here attempting to work closely with Troyanovsky through October and November; but our interests might also be furthered if I should leave before his arrival after conveying the impression that I was so disgusted with the behavior of the Soviet Government that I felt that collaboration between our countries had been made almost impossible.
As traveling arrangements in this part of the world must be made far in advance I hope that the Department will advise me as soon as possible if it desires to alter in any way its instructions to me No. 186 of August 28, 1934.68
- Not printed.↩