511.4A5/11–344: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kennan) to the Secretary of State
Moscow, November 3,
1944—midnight.
[Received November 3—10:55 p.m.]
[Received November 3—10:55 p.m.]
4222. The Embassy has received a note from Foreign Office49 (regarding Department’s airmail instruction No. 279 of August 21)50 stating in effect:
- (1)
- The Soviet Government appreciates the efforts of the American Government directed towards extirpating illegal traffic in opium and towards production and use of opium only for medicinal and scientific purposes;
- (2)
- The question of a postwar conference and of the terms which might be included in a convention for restricting the cultivation of poppies is being studied by the competent Soviet authorities at the present time;
- (3)
- With reference to proposal that the Soviets issue a declaration concerning the restriction of opium production to the amount indispensable satisfying only medicinal and scientific needs, the existence of a state monopoly both in the field of production and distribution makes the issuance of such a declaration unnecessary.
Kennan