851.61311/10–1147: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
4396. Mytel 4395 October 10.1 Following is translation Foreign Office communiqué on Russian wheat.
“The French Government had inquired of the Soviet Government whether it would be possible to receive 1,500,000 tons of Russian wheat from the USSR.
On October 8 Mr. Mikoyan, Minister for Foreign Commerce of the USSR, informed M. Pierre Charpentier, French Chargé d’Affaires at Moscow, that the Soviet Government had no objections to the inauguration of negotiations on this subject. He added that the Soviet Government would like to know what products France would be in a position to deliver to the USSR in compensation for the grain furnished. The French Government will examine the list of products which might be of interest to the USSR.”
In commenting on above this morning Figaro refers to Franco-Soviet commercial accord of December 29, 1945 pursuant to which a list of products was proposed to Soviet Union including notably phosphates, rubber, electrical equipment.
In view of this development Secretary Harriman will doubtless wish to amend statements which he had planned to make on October 13 or 14 (Deptel 3880, October 10).
As was to be expected, this morning Humanité headlines event with photo of smiling Russian peasant girl surrounded with sheaves of Russian wheat. Humanité stresses point that transaction will not involve need of obtaining dollars. It refers to realization in US of French need for wheat and accuses US of employing French shortage of dollars to strangle France. It is in this situation that “great Soviet Union” comes to aid of France asking nothing in return which could [Page 774] disrupt French finances. Article concludes: “Once again it appears that Communists were right in pointing out that recovery of France cannot be based upon commercial relations which exclude anyone. It must be based on practice of commercial exchanges with all countries. A great hope has now arisen for the French people. It is up to the government to expedite the matter.”
Other papers report communiqué without comment.
- Not printed.↩