868.00/7–2445: Telegram

No. 1067
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kennan) to the Acting Secretary of State1
confidential

2667. Vice Commissar FonOff Dekanozov addressed letter dated July 13 to British Chargé2 in reply to British Ambassador’s3 protest to Molotov (Embassy’s 2472, July 74) re Soviet press and radio campaign against Greek Govt and British in Greece (To Dept 2667 repeated London 378 Athens 37).

Dekanozov stated Soviet Govt does not see any grounds for Clark Kerr charges re New Times article as journal not an official organ of Soviet Govt. Furthermore Soviet Govt finds it necessary to call British Govt’s attention to Athens July 8 Fascist meeting where sharply hostile speeches to USSR were made and slogans of “let[’]s get at Sofia, Belgrade, Moscow” etc[.] were uttered. Such speeches becoming more frequent and in increasingly inadmissible forms Dekanozov claimed.

He pointed out Soviet Govt regarded such situation wholly incorrect in country where there are troops of USSR’s British Ally.

Kennan
  1. The gist of this message was included in telegram No. 126 of July 25 from Grew to Byrnes (file No. 800.00 Summaries/7–2545).
  2. Frank Roberts.
  3. Sir Archibald Clark Kerr.
  4. Document No. 446, printed in vol. i.