711.94114 Supplies/8–2644: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Harriman )
2092. In communicating to Soviet Government text of this Governments communication to Japanese Government, Deptel 2093,1 please inquire whether Soviet Government is unalterably opposed to Japanese ships coming to Nakhodka on a regular basis to pick up subsequent shipments of relief supplies and correspondence sent from the United States for Allied nationals in Japanese custody.
While this Government has indicated to the Japanese Government its agreement to the overland shipment from Soviet territory of relief supplies and correspondence, Department considers it unlikely that Japanese Government will agree to this means of shipment. It will be recalled that this method of shipment has been proposed several times before to the Japanese Government and that the latter has indicated no interest in arranging for overland transportation. It is not clear to the Department whether Soviet Government misunderstood Embassy’s communication based on Department’s 1709, July 15, as regards continued use of Nakhodka or whether Soviet Government preferred to ignore that portion of the Embassy’s communication because of the former’s disinclination to have Japanese ships putting in regularly at a Soviet port adjacent to a strategic area. Endeavor to ascertain informally whether, if Japanese react negatively to Soviet proposal in regard to subsequent shipment overland, Soviet authorities would be willing to permit Japanese ships to put in to Nakhodka on a regular basis for the purpose of picking up relief supplies and correspondence to be sent subsequently from the United States.
- Infra. ↩