Tov. Molotov for the Politburo

About Lenin's and Trotsky's trip to Italy1 (on Krasin's telegram).

I think that the reason given by Krasin, among other reasons, excludes the possibility of a trip to any country for me as well as for Trotsky and Zinoviev.

12/1-22 г.

Lenin.

Received by telephone

L. Fotieva. 12/1-22 г.

Published - "Izvestia CPSU Central Committee", 1990, No. 4, p. 189.

Fund 2, op. 1, d. 27069, fol. 1 - copy.

1 At the Cannes Conference of the Supreme Council of the Entente (Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, France and Japan) on the day of its opening, January 6, 1922, at the suggestion of Lloyd George, it was decided to convene in Genoa (Italy) a conference on economic and financial issues to find measures for the reconstruction of Central and Eastern Europe and to invite delegations from Russia and Germany. On January 7, L.B.Krasin and Y.A.Berzin telegraphed to G.V.Chicherin: "I consider Lenin's arrival in Italy inadmissible in view of Savinkov's, Wrangel's and fascists. London would be more acceptable. Here it is possible to arrange a reliable arrival, for example, accompanied by Krasin, as well as accommodation. If Lenin does not go, should Trotsky's arrival be suggested? Italy, of course, is also excluded" (Izvestiya TsK CPSU, 1990, No. 4, p. 189). The telegram was sent encrypted, in Moscow it was deciphered on January 9. Having familiarized himself with it, Lenin dictated the published note.

At an extraordinary session of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee on January 27, the composition of the Soviet delegation to the Genoa Conference headed by Lenin (chairman) was approved.

The Central Committee of the RCP(b) adopted a special decision proposing that Lenin transfer to G. V. Chicherin (vice-chairman of the delegation) the powers of chairman. On January 27, 1922, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee approved Lenin's official statement on this issue, and on March 25 Lenin signed it (see: Lenin V.I. Complete Works, vol. 45, pp. 452-453). The Genoa Conference was held from April 10 to May 19, 1922. 29 states participated in it. The U.S. did not officially participate, only an observer - U.S. Ambassador to Italy R. Child was present. At the conference, representatives of the Entente countries sought recognition by Soviet Russia of the debts of the Tsarist and Provisional governments and the return of property of foreign owners nationalized in Russia. No agreement was reached. The Russian delegation proposed to recognize the Soviet state de jure, to give up the demand for the return of war debts, to give Russia a loan, and to give foreign owners the use of their former property on the basis of leases or concessions. During the conference in the town of Rappalo a Soviet-Soviet treaty was concluded. The Soviet-German treaty was concluded during the conference in Rappalo.