Office of the Historian

740.00118 E. W./8–246: Telegram

The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Durbrow) to the Secretary of State

secret
Moscow, August 2, 1946—4 p.m.
[Received August 2—10:50 a.m.]

3077. Deptel 1402, August l.26 Letter sent Dekanozov27 advising that Naval Observer’s offices Vladivostok Archangel are being closed. Request also made for immediate opening Consulate Odessa and that Naval Attaché there be permitted carry on his functions as US Maritime Shipping representative until Consulate is opened. Letter points out need for representative handle UNRRA ships.28

I did not bring up question of Leningrad for following reasons:

1.
Ambassador in letter April 19 asked for Consulate Leningrad or, as alternative, Odessa.
2.
Two requests for Leningrad are already before Soviet authorities and if not granted we can use threat of closing Soviet Consulates in order to obtain Leningrad later.
3.
Since question Odessa is most pressing matter, I felt it advisable to concentrate our immediate effort on its solution.

Dept repeat to Paris for Ambassador Smith29 as Moscow’s 278.

Durbrow
  1. Not printed.↩
  2. Vladimir Georgiyevich Dekanozov, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union.↩
  3. Text of letter transmitted to Department in telegram 3063, August 1, from Moscow, not printed. (740.00118 E.W./8–146). Telegram 3213, August 15, from Moscow, transmitted the text of Dekanozov’s reply in which he stated that the Soviet Government agreed that the American Assistant Naval Attaché could remain in Odessa to fulfill his functions until completion of the movement of UNRRA cargoes through that port (840.50 UNRRA/8–1546).↩
  4. Ambassador Smith was in Paris to assist the Secretary of State at the Peace Conference, held July 29–October 15, 1946.↩