Page:Georgy Vasilyevich Chicherin - Two Years of Foreign Policy (1920).pdf/32

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mentioned, regardless of any former validity, had lost their force at that moment, and requesting that a place and time be set for the opening of negotiations. On January 14, having learned of the proposal made by the English Government to bring about an agreement between the warring de facto governments of Russia, the Soviet Government informed its representatives at Stockholm of its readiness to enter into negotiations with the Entente Governments. On January 17, having learned that the French Confederation of Labor and the Administrative Committee of the Socialist Party had expressed their satisfaction with the declaration of the Government renouncing intervention in Russia, the Soviet Government sent a radiogram to the Entente powers, asking them to state when and in what form this renunciation of intervention would be realized and when negotiations could be opened with this end in view. The climax to all these steps was our note of February 4, which we addressed to the Entente Governments after an unaddressed invitation had been sent out from Paris by wireless, asking all the de facto Governments of Russia to meet in conference at Prince's Island. In this note of February 4, the Soviet Government expressed its willingness to pay the foreign debts, to grant concessions to send goods to cover its obligations, to recognize the seizure of certain territories and to abstain from revolutionary propaganda in the Entente countries.[1] A detailed statement of peace terms was drawn up by us in the middle of March, partly with Mr. Bullitt, who came on a mission from President Wilson with the knowledge of Lloyd George. When Nansen,[2] on the basis of an understanding with the Entente Governments, asked us to admit into Soviet Russia his commission for the distribution of provisions, on the condition that we cease


  1. The text of the note of February 4 1919, will be found in Soviet Russia, Vol. I, No. 1 (June 7, 1919).
  2. The correspondence of the Soviet Government with Nansen will be found in Soviet Russia, Vol. I, No. 14, See also "The Bullitt Mission to Russia," published by B. W. Huebsch, New York (paper, price 50 cents).

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