861.24/1204: Telegram
The Second Secretary of Embassy in the Soviet Union (Thompson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 21—1:42 a.m.]
548. For Stettinius from Faymonville. Vice Commissar of Foreign Trade Krutikov, who is Soviet official responsible for coordinating transportation of lend-lease supplies, has requested me to transmit to you his comments on Persian Gulf supply and to ask your assistance in improving a situation which he regards intolerable.77 Krutikov’s words spoken With great bitterness and some anger, were as follows:
“British and American authorities in Iran have adopted a decision contrary to Soviet interests, and in spite of Soviet protests and disapproval. United States and British military commanders have decided to send to Karachi by December 31 more than 20 ships, some of which are already leaving gulf ports for India. Upon arrival at Karachi the ships are to unload some 48,000 tons of cargo, among other items rails and pipe. It is entirely impracticable to transport rails and pipe from Karachi to the Soviet Union by the Baluchistan route and the attempt to send rails and pipe overland from Karachi will merely result in a still greater delay in obtaining from Karachi other goods which are urgently needed, but which will now have to wait in warehouses in Karachi for an indefinite time. This entire procedure of the British and American military authorities was begun without consultation with Soviet representatives. When Soviet representatives received information of General Connolly’s decision they protested but received from General Connolly the reply that he was running his affairs under direct orders from Washington and would proceed with his plans without the agreement of the Soviet Government, and he has further stated that he will continue to act without consultation with Soviet authorities. The 20 ships in the Persian Gulf should have been unloaded there. To divert Soviet property to a British port without Soviet consent is wrong and not permissible. It is quite possible that port administration in the Persian Gulf, especially at Khorramshahr and Bandar Shahpur is not progressing satisfactorily, but in spite of this the Soviet Government desires that ships with Soviet goods be unloaded at Gulf ports and not sent east.”
Krutikov requests you to issue instructions which will assure that Soviet goods arriving at ports, or over delivery routes, approved by the Soviet Government, are not diverted to other routes without the [Page 756] consent of the Soviet Government. Krutikov stated twice during the interview that he was expressing the protest of the Soviet Government.
Repeat to Kuibyshev. [Faymonville.]
- Assistant Commissar Krutikov had already expressed himself in strong terms which were reported in telegram No. 534 of December 14, from Moscow (not printed). Among other criticisms, “Krutikov states that Soviet views on shipping matters have been disregarded in the past; that when British and Soviet views differed in the past, Americans have uniformly supported the British view; and that material improvement in shipping situation would result if American shipping authorities in Washington and London would give weight to Soviet recommendations.” (861.24/1200)↩