Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, Central and Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

411.61231/5–950

The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé of the Soviet Union (Bazykin)

The Acting Secretary of State presents his compliments to the Chargé d’Affaires of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and, with reference to the Embassy’s aide-mémoire of February 28, 1950 and related correspondence, conveys the following information with regard to the customs clearance of Soviet diplomatic couriers arriving in the United States.

The Department of State has been informed by the Treasury Department that any brief delay which may have been encountered by Soviet diplomatic couriers in effecting customs clearance at the port of entry has been the result of a lack of advance information on the part of the customs officials concerned with regard to the anticipated arrival of the couriers. As was indicated by an officer of the Department of State to Mr. Tolokonnikov, First Secretary of the Soviet Embassy, in a conversation on April 21, 1950, the United States Customs officials are prepared to expedite the customs clearance of Soviet diplomatic couriers in all cases, but that advance information as to their arrival date is essential to ensure that the customs officials concerned are notified sufficiently in advance to make the necessary arrangements. It was suggested to Mr. Tolokonnikov that the Embassy notify the Department of State of the anticipated arrival of all Soviet diplomatic couriers sufficiently in advance of the actual arrival so that the customs officials at the port of entry may be informed. The Chargé d’Affaires may be assured that the United States customs authorities will continue to extend all possible courtesies to Soviet diplomatic couriers. In view of the large amount of passenger traffic entering the United States through the Port of New York, it is urged that the Soviet Embassy make special efforts to provide the earliest possible advance information with regard to the anticipated arrival of Soviet diplomatic couriers.

With regard to the exemption of the personal baggage of Soviet diplomatic couriers arriving in this country, the Chargé d’Affaires is informed that arrangements have now been made whereby the United States Customs officials will waive customs inspection of personal baggage of Soviet diplomatic couriers on the understanding that such exemption is of a reciprocal nature¹ and that, as stated in the Embassy’s aide-mémoire of February 28, 1950, Soviet customs authorities will not inspect the personal baggage of diplomatic couriers of the United States entering or departing from the Soviet Union.²

Washington, May 17, 1950.

1. The Assistant Secretary of the Treasury John S. Graham had written a letter dated May 17 to the Secretary of State in which he enclosed a communication of the same date from Frank Dow, the Commissioner of Customs in the Treasury Department, directed to the Collector of Customs at New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. These officers were authorized to observe that “not only the official communications carried by Russian diplomatic couriers shall remain inviolate as heretofore, but also the personal baggage and effects of such individuals shall not be examined and every proper means shall be afforded them to facilitate their passage through ports of the United States, including the processing of their baggage and effects in advance of ordinary passengers.” The instructions to the Collectors went on to say: “The Department of State further advises that it has determined that, at the present time, the practice set forth above will not have a harmful effect on our national security, but that if at any time in the future reciprocal privileges are no longer granted to United States couriers, or it is found that the waiver of inspection is prejudicial to the national security, it will withdraw its recommendation for special treatment of Soviet couriers and collectors will be instructed accordingly. If any indication is observed of abuse of the additional exemptions on the part of Soviet couriers, the Bureau [of Customs] should be notified at once in order that the matter may immediately be taken up with the Department of State.” (601.6111/5–1750)

2. The Embassy in the Soviet Union was informed of these arrangements in telegram 419 on May 17, not printed. The Embassy was asked to keep the Department of State informed of any failure by customs officials of the Soviet Union to accord reciprocal treatment to United States couriers. (601.6111/2–2850)

   During a conversation on May 24 with First Secretary of the Embassy of the Soviet Union Lëv Sergeyevich Tolokonnikov, John M. McSweeney, the Acting Officer in Charge of U.S.S.R. Affairs in the Office of Eastern European Affairs, told him that on May 17 and 21 American diplomatic couriers had had their personal baggage inspected. “Mr. Tolokonnikov stated that he understood the reciprocal nature of the undertaking and would communicate with Moscow in order to assure that reciprocity would be extended by Soviet officials.” (411.61231/5–2450)