740.00119 Council/12–1845: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman)
2566. Secdel 18. For Secretary and Ambassador. At first meeting Thurs of Interdepartmental Committee on Soviet Lend-Lease Settlement28 [Page 1051] discussion was held of inventory question (Deptel 2202, Oct 22; urtel 3648, Oct 24). Granting improbability getting satisfactory inventory from Soviets, Committee nevertheless felt that since all other recipients Lend-Lease have been asked to supply inventories and since an effort to secure inventories is necessary to rendering a proper accounting for Lend-Lease program, request to Soviets should be reiterated for sake of record. Renewal of request also seems desirable to forestall so far as possible Soviet request for delay in order to prepare inventory on plea of not having received sufficient notice that inventory was necessary. It is also felt that use of inventory being prepared here from our records (urtel 3648) might give rise to Soviet objection if they are not given adequate notice that inventories will be necessary.
In view possibility that Moscow meeting may speed initiation credit negotiations and since it was sense of Committee that it would be disadvantageous to conclude credit negotiations without concurrently securing satisfactory Lend-Lease settlement, prompt follow-up to Crowley’s letter to Rudenko of Oct 15 seems advisable. Committee in doubt whether letter should be addressed to Embassy or Purchasing Commission.
Text proposed letter in immediately following telegram. Action will be withheld pending receipt your comments.
- This meeting on December 13, 1945, was of the USSR Working Group, John N. Hazard, Chairman, of the United States Lend-Lease and Surplus Settlement Committee (USLL).↩