740.0011 Stettinius Mission/43: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant ) to the Secretary of State 56
[Received April 19—5:45 p.m.]
3206. Deles57 No. 22. From the Under Secretary. Department’s 2859 April 11, 9 p.m.,58 Esdel59 number 12. Question of Soviet exploitation of Iran has been discussed at length by Murray with Sir Maurice Peterson and aides at Foreign Office who are sympathetic [Page 327] with the idea of approaching the Soviet Government in this regard. Since it is essential to avoid giving the Soviets any impression that the British and ourselves are concerting against them, it has been suggested that Mr. Eden60 and I might take the matter up informally with the Soviet Ambassador here,61 with whom we are both lunching on Tuesday, April 25. We would explain that our conversations have touched upon the subject of Iran and the desirability of Anglo-American-Soviet discussions with a view to working out methods of collaboration in implementing the pledges of economic assistance to Iran given by all three Governments at Tehran.
We would therefore propose that the Soviet Ambassador ask his Government to instruct the Soviet Ambassador at Tehran to join with his British and American colleagues there for this purpose. The actual questions to be raised and the order and manner in which they should be broached would be a matter for the discretion of our representatives on the spot, subject, of course, to any general instructions from the Department and the Foreign Office.
The suggestion is now being cleared with the various authorities concerned in the Foreign Office. I personally consider the idea sound and likely to avoid the suspicion and even resentment which might be aroused by a parallel approach to the Soviets by our Ambassadors at Moscow. If you agree, I request authority to follow the suggested procedure in case suitable arrangements can be worked out prior to my departure.62 [Stettinius.]
- Repeated in paraphrase to Tehran in telegram 246, April 22, 8 p.m.↩
- Designation for serial numbering of telegrams emanating from the Stettinius Mission in London.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Designation for serial numbering of telegrams originating in the Department for the Stettinius Mission.↩
- Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩
- Fëdor Tarasovich Gusev.↩
- In his telegram 3242, April 22, midnight, to London, the Secretary of State said, “I approve course of action suggested … Dr. Millspaugh especially needs the cooperation of Soviet authorities in Iran, particularly as regards permission for American advisers to carry out their functions in the northern provinces.” (740.0011 Stettinius Mission/51b) Repeated in paraphrase in telegram 248, April 22, 10 p.m., to Tehran.↩