740.00113 E.W./6–2944: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:40 p.m.]
2340. With respect to the tentative suggestion of informal exploratory conversations at a technical level with the British and Soviets contained in the Department’s 4659, June 12, to London sent to Moscow in Department’s 1555, June 26, 4 p.m.,83 I desire to point out that Soviet technical experts are rarely allowed to discuss matters of this kind except within clearly defined limits and in accordance with definite instructions of policy from the Soviet Government. I believe it doubtful, therefore, that Soviet experts would be allowed to participate in “informal exploratory conversations” and I feel that if they did participate they would not take an active role and would be little more than observers. While in view of the complexity of the problems it may be advisable to set up a technical committee, I believe that Soviet participation would best be insured if some procedure were established whereby the questions to be referred to this Committee were first clearly determined and agreed upon by the EAC in order that the Soviet Government could be in a position to issue definite instructions to its technical experts.
Sent to Department, repeated to London as 122.