761.62/527: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union ( Grummon ) to the Secretary of State

300. I am informed in strict confidence that although the instructions to the German Ambassador reported in my telegram 265, May 25, 7 p.m. to take no further steps in regard to an approach to the Soviet Government at the present time have not been superseded, nevertheless, contact between the German and Soviet Governments had been [Page 324] maintained on the subject of a possible improvement in economic relations. It was stated that during the last 10 days the Soviet Counselor in Berlin had had a number of conversations on this subject with members of the German Foreign Office and that the German Commercial Counselor here on June 2 had under instructions seen Mikoyan, the Commissar for Foreign Trade. It was emphasized that the conversations both here and in Berlin had been of an exploratory character and that no concrete proposals had been advanced by either side.83

Grummon
  1. For the German version of these conversations, see Nazi-Soviet Relations, 1939–1941, pp. 11–20.