Written: Written on May 14, 1922
Published:
First published in 1964 in Collected Works, Fifth (Russian) Ed., Vol. 45.
Printed from a typewritten copy.
Source:
Lenin
Collected Works,
Progress Publishers,
1976,
Moscow,
Volume 45,
page 547a.
Translated: Yuri Sdobnikov
Transcription\Markup:
R. Cymbala
Public Domain:
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If we have correctly understood the press comments over the situation created by our reply, Lloyd George is prepared to separate an immediate political agreement on peace from financial-economic agreements which are to be referred to a long commission.[3] This would be the best outcome and an unquestionable victory, that is why we recommend: 1) to continue the absolutely uncompromising line in the economic sphere, agreeing to a long commission, 2) to give every support to Lloyd George in his urge for a political agreement (guarantee, treaty), 3) in every way to strive for separate agreements with various countries, 4) to make every possible use of Lloyd George’s approach to the question of the eastern boundaries of Poland and Rumania, indicating that these boundaries are obstacles to the establishment of peace, but this should be done cautiously, so as not to draw criticism about departures from the Riga Treaty.[4] We repeat our request that you urgently communicate to us basic propositions for an All-Russia C.E.C. resolution on Joffe’s report, especially in connection with the Rapallo Treaty—see our telegram No. 3535/c.[1]
[1] See Document 720 of this volume.—Ed.—Lenin
[2] The telegram proposed by Lenin was adopted by the Politbureau of the R.C.P.(B.) C.C. on May 14, 1922, and sent to G. V. Chicherin.
[3] A reference to the memorandum of the Soviet delegation of May 11, 1922.
In pursuance of the directives of the R.C.P.(B.) C.C., the delegation rejected the demands of the Entente countries, declaring that unless they recognised the principle of reciprocity, Soviet Russia would not make concessions. It proposed that a mixed expert committee should be set up to study the controversial financial matters.
Thus, the negotiations at Genoa were broken off through the fault of the Entente powers, which refused to repudiate their colonialist altitude towards Soviet Russia.
The activity of the Soviet delegation was approved by the All-Russia C.E.C. session, which on May 17 adopted a resolution on A. A. Joffe’s report. The resolution was drafted by Lenin (see present edition, Vol. 33, pp. 356–57).
[4] The Riga Peace Treaty was signed on March 18, 1921, by Russia and the Ukraine, on the one hand, and Poland, on the other (see Dokumenty me shut I politiki SSSR, Vol. V, Moscow, 1961, p. 401).
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