661.6231/207: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Grummon) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 19—2:03 p.m.]
324. My 310, June 13. The following information with respect to Soviet-German relations has been received in strict confidence. The German Ambassador had expected to return to Moscow last weekend but was requested by Ribbentrop to wait until the end of this week or the beginning of next pending the decision of the German Government in respect to relations with the Soviet Union.
The Commercial Counselor of the German Embassy here saw Mikoyan on June 1785 and informed the latter that the German Government was willing to send Schnurre to Moscow to renew conversations for the conclusion of a commercial accord.
As a basis for discussion he submitted certain proposals involving an increase in the quantity of machines to be supplied by Germany to the Soviet Union under the proposed agreement including certain industrial equipment for the production of military supplies which [Page 326] had been desired by the Soviet Government in return for a certain increase in the quantity of raw materials to be made available to Germany. Mikoyan promised to submit the suggestion to his Government but although he expressed an interest in renewing economic conversations nevertheless indicated that the proposals involving an increase of raw materials were “not entirely satisfactory”.
I hope to obtain shortly further details in regard to the exact nature of the German proposals.
- For report of this meeting by the German Chargé in the Soviet Union on Jnne 18, see Nazi-Soviet Relations, 1939–1941, p. 21.↩