711.94114 Supplies/8–2644: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)
3006. Please request Swiss Government urgently to communicate following to Japanese Government with reference to Swiss note dated July 13 (Legation’s 4507, July 14) in regard to the onward movement to Japan and Japanese-occupied territory of relief supplies now warehoused on Soviet territory and those to be sent subsequently via Soviet territory intended for distribution to Allied nationals in Japan.
“The United States Government, having referred to the Soviet Government for its consideration the Japanese Government’s response, has been informed that the Soviet Government on August 25 sent to the Japanese Embassy at Moscow an aide-mémoire confirming the [Page 1050] willingness of the Soviet Government to permit a Japanese ship to enter the port of Nakhodka for the purpose of loading and carrying away relief supplies now stored on Soviet territory awaiting transshipment to Japan. The United States Government has been informed that the Soviet Government has specified the route to be followed by the Japanese ship while in Soviet waters and that the Soviet Government has indicated to the Japanese Government the arrangements which the former will make for transshipping relief supplies from the Soviet vessel to the Japanese vessel at Nakhodka.
It is the understanding of the United States Government that the Soviet Government’s communication to the Japanese Embassy at Moscow of August 25 satisfactorily meets the conditions set forth under Section 1, paragraph 2 A, B, C, and D of the Swiss note of July 13.
The Government of the United States agrees to the division of cost as proposed under Section 3 of the Swiss note of July 13, namely, that the Government of the United States will pay all taxes, rates, dues, and all other public charges which may be levied at Soviet ports on Japanese ships engaged in this traffic as well as the cost of loading such ships and freight charges from such port or ports to ports under Japanese administration, cost of landing and warehousing at ports under that administration and any and all other expenses calculated on a fair and reasonable basis. The United States Government notes that the Japanese Government is prepared to defray import duty and other taxes to be charged at ports under Japanese administration and freight charges by Japanese Government railway.
Referring to Section 4 of the Swiss note of July 13, the United States Government assures the Japanese Government that the Allied Governments are prepared to accord safe conduct for the Japanese ship to be employed in this traffic between ports under Japanese administration to Soviet approach point. The Japanese Government is requested to inform the Government of the United States of the proposed route to be followed by the Japanese ship and to name a date on which it is intended to dispatch the ship. It is requested that the route, sailing date, and a full description of the ship be furnished the Swiss Legation, Tokyo, in sufficient time to insure that this information will reach the United States Government at least 7 days prior to the sailing date. Unless the Japanese Government is informed before the proposed sailing date that the proposed route is, in certain respects, not acceptable, the Japanese Government may assume that the proposed itinerary meets with the approval of the Allied Governments. If the Allied Governments find it necessary to request certain changes in the itinerary of the ship, the United States Government will so inform the Japanese Government and the latter will be requested to name a new sailing date. The United States authorities will assume responsibility for coordinating with the other Allied military authorities in respect of safe conduct for the Japanese ship.
As regards subsequent shipments of relief supplies and correspondence for Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees in Japanese custody (Sections 2 and 5 of the Swiss note of July 13), the United States Government has been informed that the Soviet Government has proposed to the Japanese Government that such shipments be made from Soviet territory overland to the border station Manchuriya [Page 1051] where such shipments would be received and taken onward by the Japanese Government. The Japanese Government is informed that this means of regular shipment of relief supplies and correspondence is entirely acceptable to the Government of the United States and the latter expresses the hope that the Japanese Government will agree to this means of regular and continuous shipment of relief supplies and correspondence to a minimum amount of 1500 weight tons per month. The Government of the United States is willing, for the time being, to exclude from such shipments parcels addressed to specific individuals with the reservation that this phase of the matter may be re-opened at a later date.
With reference to Section 6 of the Swiss note of July 13 the Government of the United States confirms that in case the Japanese Government sends relief supplies and correspondence for distribution to Japanese and Allied prisoners of war and internees in United States custody, the Government of the United States will take the necessary steps to arrange for the onward transport of such supplies and correspondence from Soviet territory to the United States and will arrange for the expeditious distribution of such supplies and correspondence to the persons for whom intended. For its part the Government of the United States is prepared to receive from Japan parcels addressed to specific Japanese nationals in United States custody and foresees no difficulty in arranging for the distribution of such parcels to the addressees. The Government of the United States hopes that the Japanese ship to be dispatched to Nakhodka to pick up and transport to Japan relief supplies now on Soviet territory awaiting transshipment will be of sufficient cargo capacity to transport as much as possible of the supplies now awaiting transshipment.
The Government of the United States would appreciate being informed, at the Japanese Government’s earliest convenience, whether the proposal of the Soviet Government as regards subsequent shipments of relief supplies is acceptable to the Japanese Government.”