611.6131/510: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union ( Kirk ) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 8—10:54 a.m.]
179. Department’s telegram 94, June 24, 3 [7] p.m. The necessity for an early reply to this Embassy’s informal representations concerning the renewal of the present commercial arrangement have been impressed upon the competent officials of the Foreign Office on every available occasion and the observations contained in the above-mentioned telegram on the matter of the benefits accruing to Soviet trade as a result of concessions granted under United States trade agreements have been brought to their attention. In a conversation at the Foreign Office today assurances were received that a reply would be forthcoming within a few days.
In connection with the foregoing it appears that the Commissariat for Foreign Trade is dissatisfied with the amount of Soviet exports to the United States which are said not to have exceeded $18,000,000 during the period of the operation of the present arrangement and that the delay in submitting the reply on the renewal of the arrangement is due to the fact that the Commissariat is now formulating some statement of requirements in the line of obtaining further facilities for the importation into the United States of the main items of Soviet export trade with the United States in order to increase in the future the amounts of those exports.