761.93/1574
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 5.]
Sir: In connection with despatch No. 247 of the Embassy in Peiping dated February 20, 1936,69 reporting a rumored agreement between the Soviet Union and Sinkiang, I had a conversation today with Stomoniakoff, Assistant People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, who is in charge of the Far Eastern relations of the Soviet Union.
Stomoniakoff denied that there was any truth in the rumor. He said, “I can assure you categorically and officially that there is no secret agreement between the Soviet Union and Sinkiang either written or verbal”. I referred to the general belief that the Soviet Union was preparing to establish Sinkiang as an “independent republic” on the lines of Outer Mongolia. Stomoniakoff said that this was absolutely untrue, that the Soviet Union was greatly interested in trade with Sinkiang, that the geographical position of Sinkiang was such that its trade must naturally flow to the Soviet Union, that the Soviet Government had been careful to develop close and most friendly relations with the Government of Sinkiang, but that nothing had been done or would be done which might in any way infringe upon the sovereignty of China.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩