811.79661/103: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Harriman ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 25—4:16 p.m.]
1021. Referring to your 535, March 10, 5 p.m. and 659, March 22, 5 p.m.,41 delay in my reply is due to discussions with General Deane on this subject and certain negotiations up with the Soviet Government on military matters.
As a result of recent favorable decisions of the Soviet Government and because we have one additional request just submitted on which we expect a reply shortly, General Deane, who has been requested to express his views direct by General Marshall, has cabled him recommending approval of certain special flights requested by the Soviet Purchasing Commission and that no action be taken at this time suspending arrangements which had previously been made with the Soviet Purchasing Commission and ATC.42 He further states that on the completion of the negotiations here as described above he believes that the whole question of air communication between the United States and the USSR should be reviewed and an agreement negotiated satisfactory to United States. He states also that he will be prepared to make definite recommendations at that time and he feels that when the subject is reviewed all aspects should be given consideration such as the improvement of air communication between Tehran and Moscow, use of lend lease transport planes being delivered to Russia, payment for air transport, and the number of air transport planes we furnish the Soviet Government in the future.