121.67/11–2144
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
Sir: Reference is made to the Embassy’s despatch No. 1159 of November 1, 194410 regarding the refusal of the Soviet Government to permit American couriers to travel overland between Tehran and Moscow and to the Embassy’s telegram no. 4448 of November 21, 4 p.m.,11 concerning the possibilities of establishing courier service between Moscow and Stockholm.
In view of the accessibility of European routes heretofore closed, the Department is most anxious to set up new and more direct routings for official air and surface mails and for official supplies. From the informative despatches both of the Embassy and the Embassy at Tehran, the Department is fully cognizant of the disadvantages of dispatching courier and other official mail to Moscow by way of Tehran, not only because of the difficulties of obtaining Soviet permission for couriers to travel overland between these latter two cities, but also because the dispatching of mail to Moscow via Tehran is a lengthy, difficult route, practical only as long as other more direct means of communication between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics are blocked. It is possible that the Russian authorities are not fully appreciative of the difference between the positions of the two Governments in the matter of transmitting diplomatic mail and supplies between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has been far more favorably situated in this regard, since it has been able, with its own planes, to use the direct ALSIB12 route.
Because the progress of the war in Europe has recently opened more direct travel communications between Washington and Moscow than the present route by way of Tehran, the Department is particularly [Page 1030] eager to establish, if possible, diplomatic courier and mail services at the earliest date to and from Moscow via the following connections:
- (1)
- Bucharest—for air courier;
- (2)
- Helsinki and Stockholm—using air, surface, or a combination of both means of travel;
- (3)
- Black Sea ports—for steamer pouches;
- (4)
- ALSIB route—for air courier.
The Embassy is requested to direct its efforts toward the opening of these more direct courier and mail connections between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States. The Department envisages the reduction of the lengthy courier and mail service from Washington to Moscow via Tehran as soon as the more direct routes are operating satisfactorily.
Very truly yours,
- Not printed.↩
- Not printed. In it the Chargé, George F. Kennan, stated: “In a recent conversation with the Soviet military authorities on the subject of air lines General Deane was informed that the Stockholm–Moscow air line could not be opened up at the present time because of military considerations.” Kennan further commented: “No regular commercial air service has been established between Moscow and Helsinki. There is no indication that the Soviet Government intends to set up any service on this route in the near future which would be regularly open to foreigners on the same basis as the Moscow–Tehran service. It is doubtful that any definite or long term arrangements could be made at this time with the Soviet authorities who will undoubtedly wish to keep rigid control over the exploitation of the Helsinki–Moscow service.” (121.67/11–2144)↩
- The Alaska-Siberia air route.↩