861.24/1–845
The Ambassador of the Soviet Union ( Gromyko ) to the Secretary of State
Your Excellency: In confirming the receipt of your note of November 28, 194455 1 have the honor to inform you that the Soviet Government [Page 941] accepts the proposals of the Government of the USA outlined in your note concerning the signature of the Fourth Protocol.56
The Soviet Government, taking note of the statement of the Government of the USA to the effect that at the present time it cannot bind itself to supply to the Soviet Government the coal mining and oil well equipment requested, hopes that during the implementation of the Fourth Protocol the Government of the USA will take all possible measures to satisfy the requests of the Soviet Union for the delivery of the coal mining and oil well equipment in question, having in mind the importance of these branches of industry for the conduct of the war against the common enemy.
The Soviet Government notes with satisfaction that thanks to the measures taken by the Government of the USA the program of deliveries of aviation gasoline and alcohol to the USSR under the Fourth Protocol is near to fulfillment and the Soviet Government requests the Government of the USA to continue the delivery of aviation gasoline and alcohol during the second half of the Protocol period on the level of the actual deliveries during the first half of the Fourth Protocol.
In this connection the Soviet Government, having in mind the statement that the Government of the USA is willing, if conditions permit, to reexamine from time to time the list of deliveries for the purpose of increasing them expresses the wish that the appropriate authorities of the USA should regularly consider additional requests from the Soviet Government Purchasing Commission for the delivery of materials essential for the conduct of the war against the common enemy in particular certain types of non-ferrous and ferrous metals.
The Soviet Government expresses the wish that the Government of the USA without waiting for the signature of the agreement concerning long-term credit will issue the necessary instructions for the acceptance now of Soviet orders including those for that portion of industrial equipment which the Government of the USA does not wish to deliver under Lend-Lease on the basis of the agreement between the USSR and the USA of June 11, 194257 and for which the Soviet Government agrees to pay on the basis of a long-term credit.
The Soviet Government takes note of the statement in Your note of November 28, 1944 to the effect that the Government of the USA considers it entirely probable that additional tonnage will be available for an increase in the program of deliveries from the USA to [Page 942] the USSR over and above the 6,900,000 short tons envisaged by the Third Protocol58 which includes 6,544,000 short tons for the transport of supplies from the USA in accordance with the program of the Fourth Protocol (in this figure is included the 1,200,000 short tons for the transport of equipment and materials on the basis of the special request made to the Ambassador of the USA on October 17, 194459) and 356,000 short tons for the transport of supplies to the Soviet Union from Canada.
I can inform you also that the Soviet Government accepts the proposal of the Government of Canada to have the signature of the agreement on the Fourth Protocol in Ottawa. The Soviet Government authorizes the Ambassador of the USSR in Canada, Mr. Zarubin, to sign the agreement on the Fourth Protocol.
Accept [etc.]
- The Russian original note is filed under 861.24/1–445.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. iv, p. 1154.↩
- The Fourth (Ottawa) Protocol, covering the period from July 1, 1944, to June 30, 1945, was signed only on April 17, 1945, by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Soviet Union. The text is in Department of State, Soviet Supply Protocols, pp. 89–156. The announcement of the signature made in Ottawa on April 20, 1945, is printed in Department of State Bulletin, April 22, 1945, p. 723.↩
- Signed at Washington; for text, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 253, or 56 Stat. (pt. 2) 1500.↩
- The Third (London) Protocol, covering the period from July 1, 1943, to June 30, 1944, was signed on October 19, 1943, by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union; Department of State, Soviet Supply Protocols, p. 51.↩
- List presented to Ambassador Harriman on October 17, 1944, was also enclosed in note from the Ambassador of the Soviet Union, October 30, 1944, Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. iv, p. 1150. List not printed.↩