Ciphered Telegram No. 4159 from Filipov [Stalin] to Kovalev

[handwritten: to Cde. Stalin]

COPY OF AN OUTGOING TELEGRAM TOP SECRET

CABLE Nº 4159

Received at 0105 14 October

to KOVALEV

Visit Cde. MAO ZEDONG and pass him the following reply to his telegram about sending one division to URUMCHI by aircraft.

“To Cde. MAO ZEDONG

We consider your decision about sending one division from LANZHOU to URUMCHI by air transport to be correct.

Regarding your request about shipping 1,000 tons of aviation fuel to URUMCHI and 200 tons of it to HAMI we report that we can give this fuel to URUMCHI and HAMI via vehicle transport with arrival on site 1-3 November. We need to know your opinion about the possibility of unobstructed passage of our vehicle column with fuel along the route from KULJA to HAMI via URUMCHI.

We can give the people to augment the service at the airfields in URUMCHI and HAMI and also the five reserve transport aircraft at the disposition of Cde. PENG DEHUAI of which you spoke in your telegram by the deadline you indicate”.

Nº 499/sh

FILIPPOV

Paragraph: Confirm delivery of the cable to the addressee

Four copies typed  Leshevich Nº 6696

1 – to Cde. Stalin   

2 – to Cde. Stalin

3 – to Cde. Molotov

4 – to Cde. Malenkov

Verified by: Shift Chief Sadov[in] 0355

[Stamp:

Subject to return to the

VKP(b) CC Special Section 16[71]

Incoming Nº 3462/shs 14 October 1949]