661.4116/99
The Chargé in Great Britain (Wright) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 27.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that the draft agreement between the British Government and the Russian Soviet Government, the text of which was transmitted to the Department under cover of my despatch No. 3458, of the 23rd ultimo,18 has not yet been given official consideration by the Cabinet, nor formed the subject of formal discussion between the Permanent Committee of the Supreme Economic Council and the Russian Trade Delegation.
The Department will recall that in the Supreme Economic Council Minutes, transmitted in my despatch of above date, it was stated that Mr. E. F. Wise, the Chairman of the Permanent Committee, expected to acquaint M. Krassin informally with the contents of the Trade Agreement on or about September 22, 1920. Mr. Wise is reported to have stated that subsequent to this date he hoped to be able to collect the observations upon the Agreement of the various Governments concerned and then to transmit the draft formally to M. Krassin. I am informed that owing to developments in the domestic situation of this country the Government has not yet considered the proposed Trade Agreement at an ordinary Cabinet meeting and that pending such consideration Mr. Wise has been instructed by the Prime Minister to suspend official negotiations with the Russian Trade Delegation. In consequence the draft agreement remains, for the present, in abeyance and no further action will be taken by the British Government in this regard until definite guarantees are given by the Soviet Government that all British prisoners in Russia will be released forthwith, and that a cessation will be brought about in Bolshevik propaganda specifically directed against British interests.
I have [etc.]
- Not printed.↩