741.61/884: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 16—3:30 p.m.]
1173. My 1140, August 8, 8 p.m. I had a short conversation this afternoon with Strang who has recently returned from Moscow. [Page 295] He says that he personally is not pessimistic as to the possibility of reaching a political agreement with Russia. The military conversations, as far as it is possible to judge, are proceeding satisfactorily with some evidence that they are being taken seriously by the Russians and that a concrete result may be reached. The military mission has therefore been instructed to push its talks to a conclusion as fast as is practicable and additional instructions are now under consideration for dispatch to the Ambassador regarding the political agreement. Strang personally believes that it is possible to find a formula covering “indirect aggression” which when published will show the guaranteed states who have been in such a guarantee that their fears had no substantial foundation.