800.796/10–3144: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Gallman) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 31—9:44 a.m.]
9386. We have spoken with a number of Foreign Office officials since it became known that Russia will not participate in the Chicago Civil Aviation Conference. Among these are officials who deal primarily with the political aspects of relations with Russia, as well as officials who are interested chiefly in aviation. All expressed surprise at the last minute decision of the Russians. None has inclined to take very seriously the reason given by the Soviet Government for not participating—that is the participation of Spain, Portugal and Switzerland. All said that they would like to know what the real reason is that prompted the Soviet Government to make this decision. All were inclined toward the view that more is involved in the Russian decision than abstention from the forthcoming talks on civil aviation.
Clark Kerr,4 we were told, had been asked to give his views on what really prompted the Russians to take this action.
None of the officials with whom we talked had had time to consider thoroughly this step of the Soviet Government and the views expressed by them should be considered in the light of this.
- Sir Archibald J. K. Clark Kerr, British Ambassador in the Soviet Union.↩