701.6111/1207: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Standley) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 30—5:25 a.m.]
1219. I was requested to call at Foreign Office last evening to discuss the question of the transmission of credentials to Gromyko. Vyshinski stated that in view of the unfavorable time factor the Soviet Government proposed following course:
- (1)
- —The original signed credentials would be presented to me.
- (2)
- —The Embassy would telegraph a true reading thereof to Department with a statement that they had been presented and verified.
- (3)
- —The Foreign Office would telegraph a true reading to Gromyko who would present a copy thereof to the President. This copy, if so desired, could be compared with the text sent by the Embassy. On the basis of this copy Gromyko’s status as Ambassador would be accepted.
- (4)
- —The Embassy would send the signed copy to the Department by the air mail.
Before taking the proposed action Vyshinski stated that the Foreign Office desire to obtain the Department’s approval. I said that I would advise the Department immediately of our conversation and request instructions.73
I took occasion to impress upon Vyshinski that if the Soviet Government had shown more cooperation to establish regular and expeditious air communications between Moscow and Washington present matter would not have arisen. I added that I would do all I could to help in this particular matter.74
- In telegram No. 769, August 30, 7 p.m., the Department declared that it had no objection to this suggested procedure.↩
- Letters of credence for Andrey Andreyevich Gromyko, and letters of recall for Litvinov, dated September 7, were telegraphed by Ambassador Standley on the following day; the original letters reached the Department on October 8. Gromyko presented his copies of the letters to President Roosevelt at 12:45 p.m. on October 4.↩