761.62/807: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:27 p.m.]
1563. Shortly after 7 o’clock last night the Italian Ambassador55 who in the absence of the German Ambassador is doyen of the Diplomatic Corps in Moscow telephoned me to say that at the request of the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs he was advising all Chiefs of Mission that Molotov would arrive at midnight thereby conveying the unmistakable desire of the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs that Chiefs of Mission present themselves on the station platform to welcome Molotov. As a similar “invitation” was not extended at the time of Molotov’s departure and as I could see no reason for evidencing any enthusiasm over the result of his visit to Berlin and particularly in view of his continuing failure to receive me I did not go to the station.
I have learned this morning that the British, French, Turkish and Iranian Ambassadors and the Swedish, Belgian, Finnish and Greek Ministers pursued the same course. The staff of the German Embassy, the Italian, Chinese and Japanese Ambassadors and the Hungarian, Rumanian, Bulgarian, Yugoslav, Norwegian, Danish and Slovakian Ministers were present.
In connection with the refusal of Molotov prior to his departure for Berlin to receive the British Ambassador and myself I have now learned that he also declined to receive the Turkish Ambassador.
- Augusto Rosso.↩