Hello all, and especially the historians among us:

I have in front of me a copy of Botvinnik's "Half a Century of Chess".
This edition was published by Pergamon Press, translated by E.
Strauss, edited by K. P. Neat, and printed in 1984 as the first
English edition.
On page 66 of this edition, I find Botvinnik saying, in reference to
the conclusion of the tournament in Moscow in 1935:
"...I was also awarded the title of USSR Grandmaster (after
consultation with Lasker and Capablanca)."

I find this statement to be curious, to say the least. Botvinnik needs
approval from Lasker and Capablanca to be named grandmaster? I wonder:
1) Who actually awarded this title to Botvinnik? I don't mean an
agency, but which actual person would get to make this sort of
decision?
2) Who actually consulted with Lasker and Capablanca?
3) What form did this consultation take?

Best regards,
zdrakec