861.24/12–948
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador of the Soviet Union (Panyushkin)
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to your note of December 9, 19481 on the subject of the settlement of the obligations of your Government under the Lend-Lease Agreement of June 11, 1942, specifically to that portion in which you expressed the agreement of your Government to the return of twenty-eight frigates and three icebreakers of the United States Navy and proposed that the procedures and dates for the return of these vessels should be agreed upon by experts of both parties. I also refer to our informal conversation on this subject of January 4, 1949, wherein I expressed the willingness of this Government to take delivery of these vessels, any or all of them at one time, at either of two United States Ports: Norfolk, for vessels returned via the Atlantic; and San Francisco, for vessels returned via the Pacific. In our conversation of January 4, 1949 I stated also that, in accordance with the proposals of your Government as set forth in your note of December 9, 1948, experts had been designated by this Government for the purpose of meeting with experts designated by your Government and of reaching agreement as to the exact dates and detailed procedures for the return of these vessels.
In view of the importance which this Government attaches to the early return of these vessels, it is requested that you inform me as soon as possible as to the names of the experts designated by your Government to reach agreement on the details of the return and indicate the first date upon which these experts will be available for consultation with United States experts.
Accept [etc.]