125.0095/5–2246: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State
priority
[Received May 22—4:02 p.m.]
1619. ReEmb’s 1519, May 14.1 Subject proposed USA Consulate at Pyongyang, Korea. Lozovski2 replied on May 21 to my letter of May 14 as follows:
“In connection with your letter of May 14 in re to desire of American Government to open Consulate of USA in Pyongyang, I should like to call to your attention that fact that, as is known, Consulates are established by mutual agreement of govt of a country wishing to open a Consulate with the govt of the country on territory of which this Consulate should be opened. In accordance with above, Soviet Govt considers that question of establishment of American Consulate in Pyongyang must be decided on basis of agreement between Govt of USA and the Korean Govt which should be formed in the not distant [Page 683] future in accordance with decision of Moscow Conference of three FonMins, the more so since, as is known, in Pyongyang no Consulates, including American, have existed up to this time and, accordingly, it is a question of establishment there of new Consulate. As regards Soviet ConGen in Seoul, a Russian Consulate in Seoul, as is known, was already established in 1885, in agreement with Korean Govt and a Soviet ConGen has been functioning continuously from 1925 on basis of commonly accepted forms of international law. Therefore Soviet Govt sees no basis for connecting question of future functioning of Soviet ConGen in Seoul with question of establishment of new Consulate of USA in Pyongyang.”
I recommend that I be authorized to inform Lozovski that after a certain date in near future the Soviet ConGen will no longer be permitted to function and its personnel will be allowed to depart from American zone of occupation. I will then see the Foreign Office personally, and put the matter on a quid pro quo basis.
Dept please repeat to Tokyo as Moscow’s 42, and Seoul.