800.01B11 Registration—Ovakimian, Gaik (Dr.)/37
Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of European Affairs (Henderson) to the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
Mr. Welles: There have been rapid developments today in the Ovakimian case. Mr. Berge, the Assistant Attorney General called me this morning by telephone and said that the Department of Justice was willing to have the charges dropped against Mr. Ovakimian provided he would leave the country immediately and provided the Department of State would inform the Department of Justice that [Page 990] such action would be to the interest of the United States from an international point of view.
Shortly thereafter, the Soviet Ambassador called by telephone and asked regarding the status of the case. I told him that the American Government was willing to let Ovakimian leave the country and would make definite arrangements for him to do so just as soon as we received word from Mr. Steinhardt that matters were proceeding smoothly in Moscow. The Ambassador said that he was extremely anxious to have the matter expedited since it was hoped that Mr. Ovakimian could sail from San Francisco on the steamship Kim which was due to sail on the morning of July 23.
Shortly after my conversation with Mr. Oumansky, the telegram of Mr. Steinhardt of July 16 recommending that the charges against Ovakimian be dropped at once was brought to my attention. I immediately called up Mr. Berge and told him that the sooner the arrangements could be made for Mr. Ovakimian to leave for the coast the better. I also read to him the letter addressed to Mr. Biddle on the subject which you are signing this afternoon.8
Mr. Berge told me he had already discussed the matter with the United States Attorney in New York and suggested the following procedure:
- 1.
- Mr. Ovakimian could leave for San Francisco whenever he desires and could sail on the Kim.
- 2.
- His attorney in New York should get in touch with the holder of Mr. Ovakimian’s bond and inform him that with the consent of the United States Attorney, Mr. Ovakimian was planning to sail on the Kim on July 23. The attorney should suggest to the bondholder that the bondholder approach Mr. Correa, the United States Attorney in order to satisfy himself that the departure of Mr. Ovakimian would not result in forfeiture of the bond.
- 3.
- After the departure of Mr. Ovakimian from the country, the case against him would be quietly dropped.
I told Mr. Berge that I would at once inform the Soviet Ambassador of the procedure suggested.
I again telephoned Mr. Oumansky and outlined to him the procedure. Mr. Oumansky expressed his deep appreciation and said that the United States Government could be assured that the Soviet Government would reciprocate in a generous way in its treatment of American citizens and families of American citizens now in the Soviet Union.
- Infra.↩