861.24/9–1144: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 11—8:50 p.m.]
3431. ReDeptel 2079, August 20 [30], 6 p.m. If there be deducted the expenses incurred for transportation of regular Embassy and military personnel between Tehran and Moscow, remaining expenditures for movements of our freight and passengers in Russia would not be sufficient to warrant negotiations concerning covering of such expenses by reverse lend-lease. Very few movements of our personnel, mail or freight for strictly operational purposes have been carried out by Russians. Most, if not all, of these have not been charged to us by the Russians.
Unless we wish to make a clean sweep and propose that all such sendees to all governmental representatives be covered reciprocally by lend-lease, I believe that it would be better not to bring this subject up at all at this time with the Russians.