800.01B11 Registration/10–3149
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Eastern European Affairs ( Reinhardt ) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs ( Thompson )
In connection with the proposed meeting with the Attorney General, it seems desirable to point out that deportation of all five of the Amtorg officials might be harmful to our efforts to conclude a lend-lease settlement.1
Three of the men, Zakharov, Ogloblin and Rebrov, were granted diplomatic visas. Presumably each of them has a diplomatic passport. Zakharov and Ogloblin have been signing correspondence on behalf of the Soviet Purchasing Commission and may therefore be considered to be the last remnants of that organization which is charged with settlement of outstanding lend-lease problems. Zakharov is responsible for the negotiation of settlements with seven U.S. patent holders. We are urging the speedy conclusion of these agreements.
It is recommended that the Department urge the Attorney General to stop the legal proceedings against the five Soviets and that he not deport these three men since such deportation would seem to be more disadvantageous to the United States than to the USSR.