606. To I. T. SMILGA[1]
Comrade Smilga
Copies to Comrades N. P. Gorbunov
and Smolyaninov
For considerations not only economic but also political, it is absolutely necessary for us to have a concession with the Germans at Grozny, and if possible, at other fuel centres as well. If you sabotage this, I am going to regard it as a downright crime. We must act quickly to have some positive results before Genoa. Please reply. Briefly by telegram, details by letter.[2]
Lenin
Notes
[1] Typed on top of the text is the following: “Send in code through Krestinsky, with P. P. Gorbunov’s special concern for accurate delivery.”—Ed.
[2] On January 31, 1922, I. T. Smilga, reporting his and B. S. Stomonyakov’s talk with representatives of the Deutsche Bank about oil concessions, wrote: “...We have agreed in principle to negotiate on the whole of Grozny and on the Bibi-Eibat district in Baku.” Smilga requested instructions about the term of the talks. In order to expedite this matter, Smilga suggested that the right to sign the agreement should be vested in him, N. N. Krestinsky, A. I. Rykov and B. S. Stomonyakov, with subsequent confirmation by the C.P.C. The letter was also signed by Krestinsky (Central Party Archives of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism of the C.P.S.U. Central Committee).