Letter to Georgy Chicherin, July 22, 1920

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Chicherin, G. V. (1872–1936)—prominent Soviet statesman, People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs, 1918–30.

July 22, 1920

To Comrade Chicherin

My proposal:

1) Directives to be given to Kopp through the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs in the spirit of Comrade Chicherin’s proposal (only trade negotiations).

2) Gukovsky to be answered.

3) Curzon to be replied to in two days (not earlier; why spoil them), after asking Kamenev and the Consul once again: why haven’t we received the original in English?

The reply to be extra polite on the following lines

if Britain (+ France + ? + ?) wants a general, i.e., a real peace, we have long been for it. In that case remove Wrangel, since he is your man, kept by you, and then we begin negotiations at once.

If Poland wants peace, we are for; we’ve said it clearly and we repeat it, let her make an offer.

If you interrupt trade negotiations, we are very sorry, but you expose yourselves as departing from the truth, because you began these negotiations during Poland’s war and promised an armistice. Calmly and precisely expose their contradictions.

The draft reply to be approved by telephone through the members of the Political Bureau on Friday or Saturday, July 23 or 24.

Lenin

Comrade Chicherin,

If you agree, inform Comrade Krestinsky (he agrees in principle), then draft the reply.

Yours,

Lenin