138 U.S.S.R./606
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Henderson)
During the course of the conversation yesterday between Mr. Welles and Mr. Oumansky, Mr. Welles informed Mr. Oumansky that the Department had been giving serious consideration to the matter of issuing passports to American engineers proceeding to the Soviet Union in accordance with contracts calling for the rendering of technical assistance between themselves and the Soviet Government.
Mr. Welles said that it had been decided by the Department to give sympathetic consideration to the passport applications of American engineers desiring to proceed to the Soviet Union in case the Department should be convinced that their visits to the Soviet Union would be advantageous to the United States or helpful to the promotion of Soviet-American economic relations. This decision was based on the understanding that American citizens in the Soviet Union would be free to visit the American Embassy at any time or to leave the Soviet Union when they desired so to do.
Mr. Welles added that if at any time the Soviet Government was especially anxious to have the services of any particular American [Page 433] engineer or technician, it would be appropriate for Mr. Oumansky to bring the matter to the attention of the Department so the Department might give special consideration to the passport application.