860C.51/5–2346
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
| Participants: | Dr. Stefan Litauer, Counselor of the Polish Embassy; |
| Mr. Janusz Zoltowski, Financial Counselor of the Polish Embassy; | |
| Mr. Dean Acheson, Under Secretary of State; | |
| Mr. C. Burke Elbrick, Assistant Chief, Division of Eastern European Affairs. |
Dr. Litauer and Mr. Zoltowski called to inquire concerning developments with regard to the recent suspension of surplus property deliveries to Poland.
I informed Dr. Litauer that in view of the fact that the notes exchanged at the time of the authorization of the credits to Poland had been published in Warsaw, and that the censorship matter seems to have been disposed of, there remained only one condition which we expected the Polish Government to fulfill, namely the furnishing of the texts of Poland’s trade agreements. I said that with regard to this point, we seemed to be retrogressing in as much as the Polish Foreign Office had informed our Embassy at Warsaw that certain treaties or parts of treaties would be furnished to us but that others, and particularly those parts concerning prices and quantities of commodities could not be made available. I said that this Government would be willing to lift the suspension of surplus property deliveries upon the receipt of satisfactory assurances from the Polish Government that all of the treaties now in force, including information concerning prices and quaitities, would be furnished to us. Upon the receipt of these treaties, this Government will then proceed with the signing of the contract for the Export-Import Bank credit of $40,000,000.
Mr. Zoltowski, in reply to my inquiry, admitted that it had been agreed during the credit negotiations that Poland would make available to the United States all texts of trade treaties still in force, and he agreed that without information concerning prices and quantities such treaty texts would not be of great value to this Government.
Both Dr. Litauer and Mr. Zoltowski thanked me for this effort to solve a difficult situation. I expressed the hope at least twice during the interview that no further obstacles would be placed in the way of execution of the credit conditions. I made it clear that any further failure—at present unforeseen—to live up to the conditions would cause this Government to reconsider its position with regard to credits to Poland.
In departing Dr. Litauer said that he would communicate our views to the Polish Foreign Office.