861.24/9–1047
The Department of State to the Embassy of the Soviet Union
Aide-Mémoire
On April 30, 1947 His Excellency the Soviet Ambassador met with the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs and opened negotiations for the settlement of the obligations of their two Governments under the Master Lend-Lease Agreement of June 11, 1942. At [Page 710] that time the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs and His Excellency the Soviet Ambassador, each designated a group of specialists to proceed with the negotiations at the working level. Following the opening of negotiations on April 30, ten meetings were held by the two working groups. At the meeting of these groups on June 25, 1947, United States representatives presented to the Soviet group an “Outline of Main Points of Settlement Proposed by the U. S. Side.” At subsequent meetings several of these main points of settlement were further discussed and clarified. Over three months have elapsed since the last meeting of the groups on July 18, 1947, but, despite informal inquiries, no replies or counterproposals from Soviet representatives have been received nor has there been any indication as to when negotiations will be resumed.
Over two years have elapsed since the conclusion of hostilities and the termination of the wartime lend-lease program. The Government of the United States calls to the attention of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics the urgent necessity of resuming negotiations immediately and of concluding a lend-lease settlement agreement at the earliest possible date.