611.6131/324: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Bullitt) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 9—3:45 p.m.]
272. My 270, July 8, 5 p.m.32 We have just received from the Soviet Foreign Office the draft of note quoted below with an indication that the Soviet Government is prepared to sign at the earliest possible moment. As this note is on all fours with our proposal I request authority to sign the identic notes mutatis mutandis with Litvinov.
The Soviet Government has suggested informally that the notes should be signed on July 11th and I venture to suggest that the Department should reply to this telegram immediately so that I may inform the Soviet Foreign Office tomorrow that I shall be prepared to sign on the 11th. I shall of course expect Litvinov’s letter to me with regard to the intention of the Soviet Government to purchase in the United States in the next 12 months $30,000,000 worth of American goods, to be signed simultaneously with the signature of the notes.
Inasmuch as the American newspapermen here have repeatedly complained that all news from Moscow is first issued in Washington, I venture to suggest that we should be permitted to give this news to the American correspondents in Moscow immediately after the signature of the notes:
“Moscow July (Blank) 1935. Dear Ambassador: I have the honor to refer to recent conversations in regard to commerce between the Union [of] Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America [Page 209] and to the trade agreements program of the United States of America, and to confirm and to make of record by this note the following agreement which has been reached between the Governments of our respective countries:
The duties proclaimed by the President of the United States of America pursuant to trade agreements entered into with foreign governments or instrumentalities thereof under the authority of the Act entitled, ‘An Act to amend the Tariff Act of 1930’, approved June 12, 1934, shall be applied to articles the growth, produce or manufacture of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as long as this agreement remains in force. It is understood that nothing in this agreement shall be construed to require the application to articles the growth, produce or manufacture of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of duties or exemptions from duties proclaimed pursuant to any trade [agreement] between the United States of America and the Republic of Cuba which has been or may hereafter be concluded.
On its part, the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics will take steps to increase substantially the amount of purchases in the United States of America for export to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of articles the growth, produce or manufacture of the United States of America. This agreement shall come into force on the date of signature thereof. It shall continue in effect for 12 months. Both parties agree that not less than 30 days prior to the expiration of the aforesaid period of 12 months they shall start negotiations regarding the extension of the period during which the present agreement shall continue in force.
Accept Dear Ambassador the renewed assurances of my high consideration.
Mr. William C.
Bullitt,
Embassy of the United States of
America,
Moscow.”