711.94114 Supplies/9–844: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 8—9:33 a.m.]
3375. ReDepts 2092, August 31, 7 p.m. We do not think the failure of the Foreign Office’s note of August 26 to reply directly to our inquiry concerning the continued use of Nakhodka resulted from a misunderstanding. We interpret it as indicating at least a strong reluctance to permit the continued use of the port.
In reply to an informal inquiry at the Foreign Office as to whether, in the event of a definite Japanese refusal to accept overland shipments, the Soviet Government would allow more than the one shipment of relief supplies to be made from Nakhodka, we were asked to put the question in the form of a note. This has been done.
The Foreign Office official with whom the subject was discussed remarked that the problem was primarily one of military security, and would have to be decided by the military authorities. The hypothetical nature of the question may also operate to delay a reply.4
- Ambassador Harriman notified the Department in telegram 3646, September 23, 1944, that a note of September 21 from the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs had stated that possible continued use of Nakhodka had been “referred to the appropriate Soviet authorities for consideration and that the Embassy will be informed promptly of the decision reached.” (711.94114 Supplies/9–2344)↩