740.00119 Control (Korea)/11–945: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union ( Harriman ) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 9—2 p.m.]
3813. Department’s 2278, November 3. Problems arising from division of Korea into USSR and USA zones.
General issues listed by Department have been conveyed to Soviet Government in letter to Molotov dated November 8.27 Letter concluded with statement that we wished to learn whether Soviet Government will authorize Soviet Commander in Korea to negotiate with Hodge or whether it desires that these problems be discussed by two Governments.
If Soviet Government wishes discussion and if talks are to take place at Moscow, we shall welcome detail of Benninghoff here. He would not only be of great assistance in such negotiations but would also gain useful background experience in operation of Soviet bureaucracy at its source, which should prove helpful in his subsequent contacts with Soviet officials in Korea.
- Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs. For text of letter of November 8, see vol. ii, p. 627.↩