124.60M/21: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in the Soviet Union (Thurston)
437. The Department plans to make a statement along the following lines to the Soviet Ambassador today or tomorrow:
“The Commissar for Foreign Affairs has informed our Chargé d’Affaires at Moscow by note that the Soviet Government expects the missions and consulates of the United States in Kaunas, Riga, and Tallinn to complete the liquidation of their affairs by August 25, 1940. Our Chargé d’Affaires has been instructed to inform the Commissar by note that it is the intention of the American Government to close its offices in Kaunas, Riga, and Tallinn in the near future.
The presence of American Foreign Service officers in the cities above mentioned will be needed for a considerable time after August 25 in order to lend appropriate and necessary assistance to American nationals, to look after American interests, and to arrange the liquidation of the offices. While it expects to close the offices in all three cities as soon as possible, there is the possibility that it may be desirable for them to continue to perform consular functions even until October 1, 1940. It suggests that as a matter of comity the Soviet Government cooperate with it in working out an arrangement whereby it would be possible for American Foreign Service Officers, with the assistance of a competent staff, to continue performing work of a consular nature in Riga after October 1. The American Government, except during the years 1917–1919, has maintained a consular office in Riga for many years. It is important for the protection of American citizens and interests in the Baltic that such an office continue to function. In case Riga should later be used as a port for trade with the United States, the presence of American consular officers in that city would be particularly helpful. It is hoped that it will be possible for these officers to carry on their work in Riga without the question of exequaturs being raised. A plan might be evolved whereby the Foreign Service Officers in question be assigned to the American Embassy at Moscow but continue, as attached to the consular section of the American Embassy at Moscow, to perform consular work in the offices now maintained by the American Government in Riga. In the performance of their consular duties in [Page 421] Riga they could, if found desirable, use the seals of the consular section of the Embassy.
The American Government considers this suggestion as reasonable. Although it has been unable to recognize changes in the status of certain territories in other parts of the world, the governments which at present are in control of such territories in a number of instances have, as a matter of international comity, permitted it to maintain consular offices in those territories.”
It is suggested that you also present proposals along these lines immediately to the appropriate officers of the Commissar [Commissariat?] for Foreign Affairs, pointing out that your Government should be informed at once of the Soviet attitude towards such proposals.
In case the question is raised as to the attitude of this Government with respect to the Soviet announcement that the Baltic States have been admitted into the Soviet Union, you may state that you have been given to understand that the views of your Government on this subject were set forth in the statement made by Mr. Welles on July 23, 1940.