701.6111/1025: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt)
899. 1. We are hoping to eliminate as rapidly as possible various points of friction or potential friction between our Government and the Soviet Government.
2. We have, therefore, informed the Soviet Ambassador that restrictions on travel in the United States of Soviet diplomatic and consular officers and employees have been lifted.33 We have also told him that the two assistant Soviet military attachés who were declared persona non grata and who have been awaiting sailings in San Francisco may return to their duties in Washington in good standing.34
3. We have not as yet been successful in obtaining a definite promise from Justice that it will drop the charges against Ovakimian provided he leaves the country at the first opportunity and provided the Soviet Government releases certain American citizens held in the Soviet Union and permits them and other American citizens and families of American citizens to leave that country. It is believed that Justice will agree within the nest few days. In the meantime, it will be helpful if you would inform the Department in detail of the requests for the release and departure of American citizens and families of American citizens which you have made of the Soviet Government in this connection and of the progress which has been made.
4. The Soviet Ambassador informed me on July 10 that the Soviet military authorities had informed our military attachés in Moscow that they were being granted full facilities to proceed to the front. It is assumed, therefore, that the delays which have been encountered are due to difficulties in arranging visits to the front rather than to any objection in principle on the part of the Soviet authorities to such visits being made.
5. The Soviet Ambassador informed the Secretary of the Navy35 on July 14 that the Soviet Government had agreed to the appointment [Page 901] of naval attachés to the Embassy and to the appointment of naval observers to be stationed in Vladivostok.
6. It is assumed that, in view of our attitude of disposing of irritating problems as rapidly as possible, the Soviet Government will show a disposition to relax its restrictions upon the Embassy Staff which are interfering with their freedom of movement and handicapping their work.