840.50/9–944: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:59 p.m.]
3403. ReDepts 2134, September 5, 6 p.m. In a communication to the British Embassy dated September 8 and received September 9 the Soviet Foreign Office states that it would be difficult for the Soviet Government to join in the invitation to a conference on European inland transport since the invitation raises a number of questions which are still under examination.
The Soviet Government has no objection, however, to the inclusion in the invitation of a reference to its opinion of the projected organization in the wording proposed by the British and American Governments.
No reference was made in the Foreign Office communication to our request that we be authorized to say that the Soviet Government had agreed to the establishment of an Interim Commission and intended to appoint an observer to the Interim Commission.