761.62/819: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 29—11:50 a.m.]
1228. On the principle in vino Veritas the following recent observations of a prominent member of the staff of the Soviet Embassy, generally believed to be the local representative of OGPU,1 made during a somewhat “wet” gathering, are reported for what they may be worth. This information comes from a friendly diplomat.
- 1.
- Soviet Russia will never tie her hands by entering any agreement with any other country or group of countries except on the broadest and most general terms and this applies equally to Germany and Japan.
- 2.
- An independent China is a fundamental principle in Soviet Russia’s Asiatic policy and no agreement with Japan which might invalidate that principle would be possible.
From another usually reliable informant we are told that in reply to an informal suggestion made by Japanese representatives in Moscow, the Soviet Government has flatly refused to discuss with Japan the relations between Russia and any third country, and has declined to discuss the question of Russian assistance to Chiang Kai-shek. The same source states that German representatives in Moscow have not been permitted to take part in the Russo-Japanese conversations there.
- Initials of the secret police for the People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs, Soviet Union.↩