800.01B11 Registration/11–149

[Translation]

The Embassy of the Soviet Union to the Department of State

No. 132

The Embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, upon instruction of the Soviet Government in reply to the note of the State Department of October 27, 1949, states that the Soviet Government has taken note of the explanations contained in this note of the reasons for the repressive measures on the part of American authorities in connection with Soviet citizens, officials of Amtorg, and in particular the [Page 769] statement of the Department of State that this was not motivated by a desire to hinder or in any way affect normal legitimate trade between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America.

On its part the Embassy brings to the attention of the Department of State that, taking into account the position of the American authorities on the question of the registration of Amtorg and not considering it expedient to enter into a discussion of the question of correctness of the requirement for registration, the Soviet Embassy, upon instruction of the Government of the USSR, drew the attention of Amtorg to the significance which the Government of the United States attaches to the fulfillment of this requirement.

At the same time the Embassy considers it necessary to draw the attention of the Department of State to the following. The Department of State first addressed the Embassy on the question of the registration of Amtorg in the note received by the Embassy on September 12, 1949.1 During the time when the question set forth in this note was under consideration by the Soviet Government, repressive measures in relation to the officials of Amtorg were undertaken by the American authorities.

In connection with the facts set forth above the Soviet Government expects that measures will be taken by the Government of the United States for the termination of the legal proceedings in relation to the persons mentioned and for the assurance to the Soviet citizens of the conditions necessary for their conduct of commercial activity in the United States of America.

  1. See the note dated September 9, 1949, p. 760.