861.24/3–1045
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
The Soviet Ambassador called on me this morning at his request and said that his Government, having considered our replies to the points brought up in connection with the Fourth Protocol, is now ready to instruct its representative to sign the Protocol, provided the [Page 987] following clause be inserted therein (the Ambassador left the text of this clause with me in the Russian language and it is translated by Mr. Bohlen30 as follows):
“The reference in the Protocol to a supplementary agreement to the agreement of June 11, 1942 does not mean the consent of the Soviet Government to the conclusion of such an agreement. The Soviet Government counts on the solution of the question of the financial conditions for the deliveries in question on the basis of the proposal outlined in the aide-mémoire handed to the Ambassador of the United States in Moscow on January 3, 1945.”
The Ambassador said he understood that the Protocol is to be signed in Ottawa and, on hearing of our acceptance of the proposed Soviet clause, he will inform his Government and believes that instructions will be sent to the Soviet representative in Ottawa to sign the Protocol.
I said I would look into the matter and would give the Ambassador a reply in due course as to our reaction to the proposed clause.
- Charles E. Bohlen, Assistant to the Secretary of State for White House liaison.↩