893.24/1513: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Standley ) to the Secretary of State

57. The following telegram has been received from Kuibyshev.

“39, January 22, 3 p.m. For the Ambassador. If you approve please forward to Department and repeat to Chungking the following:

Kuibyshev’s 50, January 14, midnight [11 p.m.]. The Chinese Chargé d’Affaires informed me today that 2 weeks ago he had presented to the Soviet Government the following counter-proposal of the Chinese Government:

(a)
Owing to lack of warehouses, labor and other facilities at Hsing-hsinghsia, the eastern terminus of the Soviet portion of the supply route should be Hami.
(b)
The Chinese Government could undertake to deliver each month to the Soviet Government not less than 1,000 tons of specified cargoes, but it would reimburse the Soviet Government for 75% of the cost of operating trucks returning empty from Hami to Alma Ata.
(c)
The Soviet Government having previously expressed readiness to supply the Chinese Government 300 tons of gasoline each month, instead or the 1,300 tons requested by the Chinese Government, the latter accepted such offer, provided, however, that the gasoline is not to be computed within the 2,000 tons of goods to be supplied each month to China by the Soviet Government.

2. The Chargé d’Affaires said that whenever he presses the Soviet authorities for an early reply the latter refer to the absence of any arrangement for the supply by the United States of the trucks necessary for the operation of the route. He believed that if the American Government could in some way assure the Soviet and Chinese Governments that the trucks would be made available he would expect to receive an early and favorable reply to his Government’s last proposal.[”]

Repeated to Chungking.

Standley