861.24/585
The Ambassador of the Soviet Union (Umansky) to the Acting Secretary of State 44
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I have noted with appreciation that the Government of the United States does not see any objections to the immediate purchase by Soviet economic agencies in this country of 115,000 metric tons of aviation gasoline and 5,000 metric tons of aviation lubricants.
I am now instructed by my Government to request the permission of the United States Government for the immediate purchase by our economic agencies in this country of additional quantity of 200,000 tons of aviation gasoline (95 Octane or higher) and of 2,000 tons of Tetra-Ethyl Lead, urgently required for the needs of national defense of my country. I will highly appreciate it if you give this request your immediate attention and I feel confident that through the channels of negotiation already established the question of chartering American tankers, in addition to the available Soviet tankers for the shipment will be given prompt attention. The representatives of Soviet purchasing agencies will be glad to discuss with the Office of the Petroleum Coordinator all necessary details pertaining to the purchasing and the shipping of this additional quantity of aviation gasoline.
Accept [etc.]
- Mr. Welles noted that this communication was received in the afternoon, when Ambassador Umansky and Lieutenant General Golikov also left “a new additional list numbered 01” of materials wanted by the Soviet Union.↩