893.60 Manchuria/3–1246: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kennan) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 12—10:57 a.m.]
779. Thinking that Department might wish to have at an early date record of how its two communications on Manchurian industrial enterprises were presented to Soviet Government (ReDeptels 392, March 5 and 416, March 7), I submit below text of pertinent portions of my letter of March 9 to Molotov (ReEmbs 738, March 937):
“On March 5 I transmitted to my Government the contents of your letter of March 4, on the subject of the disposition and control over industrial enterprises in Manchuria.
“Before that communication could be received and given attention in Washington, I received from my Government instructions to make the following communication to the Soviet Government:”
I then quoted the text of Deptel 392 with one or two minor changes in phraseology and omitting statement that no reply has been received from Soviet Government to first U. S. inquiry. Concluding this text, I continued:
“Subsequent to the preparation and despatch to me of the instructions embodying the communication set forth above, my Government received my message transmitting your note of March 4. It has now had the possibility to examine that note, and has directed me to communicate to you the following with respect thereto:”
Thereupon I follow closely in quotes the text of Department’s 416, March 7 beginning with words in first paragraph: “U. S. Government … regrets to state that it does not find the Soviet note responsive” and ending with words “interested in the industrial development of Manchuria”.
I then explained that position of U. S. Government on allocation of Jap external assets referred to above had been set forth in letter to Vyshinski38 on March 9 (ReEmbs 737, March 939).
I concluded with “My Government would appreciate receiving a reply from the Soviet Government in regard to the issues raised in the two communications set forth above”.