800.796/10–1944: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:50 p.m.]
3992. From Kennan. ReEmtel 3890, October 11, 10 a.m. The Embassy has received letter dated October 19 from Molotov with reference to Soviet participation in the Conference on Postwar Civil Aviation, the pertinent portion of which reads in paraphrase translation as follows:
“On the basis of preliminary conversations on questions of civil aviation between the Soviet and American delegations in Washington last summer, the Soviet Government had understood that the United Nations Conference which had heretofore been under discussion would concern itself with questions of civil aviation in the postwar period. It is evident from your letter of March 6 that the American Government was also proceeding on this assumption. In your above-mentioned note, however, the Soviet Government is invited not to a conference of the United Nations but to an international conference with European and Asiatic neutrals participating and not to a conference on questions of postwar civil aviation but on questions of civil aviation during the transitional or intermediate period. This formulation of the question is new to the Soviet Government. Furthermore, up to this time the Soviet Government has received no draft proposals or resolutions which will be submitted for consideration by the Conference, thereby excluding the possibility of sufficient preliminary preparation on the part of the Soviet delegation for participation in the Conference. The Soviet Government is nevertheless prepared to take part in this Conference. You will be informed subsequently of the composition of the Soviet delegation and the details requested in your letter of October 10 will be supplied.”
A copy of the proposed agenda for the Conference was sent to the Foreign Office by the Embassy on October 18. [Kennan.]