Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

861.111/10–148: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kohler) to the Secretary of State

restricted

Moscow, October 1, 1948—7 p. m.

2213. Foreign Office circular note (No. 1130/PR dated September 30) refers to Foreign Office note of May 16, 1941¹ in terms indicating latter is still considered in effect, and in supplement thereto transmits new and greatly expanded list on points and localities in or to which travel is prohibited for members of the staffs of foreign missions and consulates. For all practical purposes list covers entire USSR principal additions being newly acquired territories such as Sakhalin.

Footnote to list reads as follows:

“In the Moscow oblast the movement of members and workers of embassies, missions and consulates is permitted without prior notification to the responsible organs of USSR Foreign Minister or Minister of Armed Forces within a radius of up to 50 kilometers from Moscow, with the exception of the following districts (raions) of the Moscow oblast—Dmitrov, Zvenigorod, Kuntsevo, Krasnogorsk, [Krasnopolyansk,]² Podolsk, Ramenskoe, Tushino, [Khimki,] Shchelkovo, which are prohibited areas.

“As an exception trips are permitted to the cities of Klin and Zagorsk, as well as to Yasnaya Poly ana (Tula oblast) on condition of following the principal auto highways and with previous notification about the trip to the responsible sections of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Armed Forces.”

Embassy comment follows. Full note being transmitted air pouch.³

Kohler

1. Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. i, p. 881. Reciprocity was imposed by the United States in the note of June 7; ibid., pp. 883–884. Regarding the withdrawal of these limitations by the United States, see the note of July 23; ibid., p. 902. For additional details, see Index, p. 1043.
2. The names of two raions of the Moscow oblast which are here included within brackets were supplied from the text of the note.
3. Despatch No. 716 from Moscow on October 2, 1948 is not printed (861.111/10–148). See the text of the note as printed in Department of State Bulletin, October 24, 1948, p. 525, and footnote 2.