740.00112A EW/1–1445: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 14—9:45 p.m.]
129. British Embassy here has written a note dated January 8 to Soviet Foreign Office18 stating that reports have been received from Stockholm to effect that trade negotiations between Sweden and Soviet Union are expected to be resumed shortly and also that certain firms in South America, including some in Argentina, which are included in the Statutory List are planning to export to Sweden via Pacific and Soviet Union.
The note then referred to the British Ambassador’s letter to Molotov19 of September 16 (based on Ministry of Economic Warfare’s instruction to British Embassy of September 13, mentioned in Department’s confidential instruction No. 341 of November 2) and requested confirmation that Soviet Government would not deal with firms in Sweden or elsewhere that are included in Statutory List and would deny them use of transit or other facilities in Soviet Union.
On November 25 Kennan wrote to Tsarapkin, head of the American section of the Foreign Office, enclosing text of the public statement quoted in Department’s instruction of November 2 and stating that United States Government considered that the effectiveness of our Proclaimed List would be materially enhanced if the Soviet Government and its agencies would recognize it in their commercial dealings. Kennan requested an opportunity to discuss with a competent Soviet official the questions which such recognition might involve and, if possible, to obtain clarification of the attitude of Soviet authorities in this respect. Although this was followed up with a further inquiry on January 5, no reply has yet been received.