740.00116 PW/1–1246: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union ( Kennan ) to the Secretary of State
urgent
[Received January 12—8:30 a.m.]
123. ReDeptel 36, January 8. Lozovski94 replied on January 10 to my letter of January 9 in regard to Soviet nominations for International Military Tribunal in Tokyo as follows:
“I have received your letter of January 9, in which notes of Department of State of Oct 18, November 20 [21] and December 28, 1945 are mentioned. I consider it necessary first of all to make it clear that Department of State’s note of October 18 treated question of establishment of international tribunals for trial of Far Eastern war criminals while Department of State’s note of January 3 (and not December 28 as given in your letter) raises question of appointing judges and prosecutors to International Military Tribunal for trial of chief war criminals of Japan.
“As regards question raised by Department of State concerning participation of representatives of Soviet Union on International Military Tribunal for trial of chief Jap war criminals, I consider it necessary to inform you that Soviet Government within next few days will transmit to Department of State names of Soviet Union’s judge and prosecutor on above-mentioned International Military Tribunal.
“Soviet Government proposes to discuss further the date of opening of trial after representatives of countries participating in International Military Tribunal have acquainted themselves with act of indictment.”
- Solomon Abramovich Lozovsky, Assistant People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union.↩