Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Eastern Europe; Soviet Union; Eastern Mediterranean, Volume VIII

123 Kennan, George F.: Telegram

No. 525
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (McSweeney) to the Department of State¹

top secret
niact

Moscow, October 3, 1952—5 p.m.

612. Embtel 607 to Dept, Oct 3, rptd Geneva 4.² After Vyshinski read to me the note, I informed him I would, of course, transmit it to my government immediately and added that it was my personal opinion that it would have been more appropriate for Soviet Government to have transmitted this communication in this way before publishing an article on same subject in Pravda.³ Vyshinski’s reply was that the matter had been published in West Germany and that Soviet press naturally had reacted. I remarked that I could not agree that Ambassador’s statements were either false or inimical to Soviet Union. Vyshinski replied that no one’s activities are restricted in Soviet Union and he felt that I had a very peculiar concept as to what is and is not inimical. His country had been called a fascist country and an unacceptable analogy had been drawn. He concluded that further discussion of this point was purposeless. I mentioned that the Ambassador’s family is still in Moscow; Vyshinski admitted that he was aware of this fact. I continued that I should like to know whether the Ambassador’s plane, which ordinarily is permitted entry into Soviet Union only in connection with Ambassador’s travel, would be allowed in for purpose of transporting the Ambassador’s family out of USSR. Vyshinski said that Soviet Government would have no objection to Ambassador’s return if he wished to come here to fetch his family. I pointed out that the Ambassador might not wish to return, and again repeated the question re plane. Vyshinski attempted to evade question by stating that this matter would have to be discussed separately. For third time, I reiterated my question and Vyshinski replied that he could in a “preliminary way” express Soviet Government’s consent to entry of the plane for purpose of transporting the Ambassador’s family out of Soviet Union, without the Ambassador having to be abroad.⁴

McSweeney

1. Repeated for information to Geneva for Kennan.
2. Telegram 607 transmitted the text of the Soviet Foreign Ministry note of Oct. 3 described in the editorial note, infra.
3. Reference is presumably to the Sept. 26 article in Pravda discussed in telegram 1782, supra.

4. Regarding the transportation of the Ambassador’s family out of the Soviet Union, telegram 636, Oct. 9, reported as follows:

   “Mrs. Kennan left Moscow by Air Force plane at 10 a.m. Embassy staff and quasi totality of non satellite diplomatic corps were present at her departure. Although no reps of FonOff Protocol Section present, airport officials were helpful and courteous.” (123 Kennan, George F.)

   Ambassador Kennan’s own account of his family’s departure from Moscow appears in Kennan, Memoirs, 1950–1963, pp. 164–165.