760m.61/89
The Chargé in Lithuania (Gufler) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 9, 1940.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that the Foreign Minister informed me yesterday that, since the entry of the Soviet troops and the cession of Vilna, there had been no new development in Lithuanian-Soviet relations. The Soviet Government had sent only 18,000 instead of the expected 20,000 soldiers to Lithuania and had explained that circumstances rendered it impossible for the present to send more troops but that the additional 2,000 would be sent in the future. The Minister went on to say that the Soviet troops were quiet and were behaving most correctly as are the representatives of the Soviet Government now sitting with Lithuanian representatives on various commissions. These commissions are arranging details of the new boundary, railroad relations, provisioning of the Soviet troops, which, is to be done partly by shipment from the Soviet Union and partly by purchase here, et cetera. None of the commissions has as yet arrived at its final results.
Respectfully yours,