Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume V

701.6100/8–1949: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kirk) to the Secretary of State

secret

Moscow, August 19, 1949—5 p. m.

2095. Despite serious misgivings concerning desirability and efficacy of retaliatory measures on comprehensive Soviet bloc basis suggested Sofia’s telegram 682 of August 16,¹ we would be prepared to consider this proposal further should Department decide to reopen subject (Deptel 7, January 5²) retaliatory travel restrictions along lines Embtel 2735, November 26, 1948³ in regard to Soviet personnel in the US. However, for time being “honeymoon” is still continuing here and I feel that the appreciable volume of useful information being obtained from the fairly numerous trips Soviets are approving to non-restricted areas contrary to predictions Embtel 2735 makes it highly inadvisable upset apple cart by instituting any retaliatory measures in absence further developments. Service Attachés concur.

Sent Dept 2095, repeated Sofia 40, Belgrade 86, Budapest 44, Bucharest 32.

Kirk

1. Not printed; tot see footnote 4, p. 648.
2. Not printed; but see Foreign Relations, 1948, vol. iv, footnote 2, p. 936.
3. Ibid., p. 934.