761.93/7–2649: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 26—noon.]
1621. Re Moscow telegram 1810, July 21 to Department.46 Cursory treatment given by Soviet press to establishment of Sino-Soviet Friendship Association as compared with fulsome publicity accorded it by CCP press suggests that Soviets are not much impressed by this friendly act of their Chinese comrades. Had Soviets wished to publish more material on this subject, it would have been readily available [Page 459] in form of Peiping radio broadcasts July 17 through 19 which Soviets certainly monitor. It is also interesting that Chou En-lai’s speech, which was broadcast July 19, was not carried in Soviet press for, as we pointed out in Embtel 1556, July 20 to Department, that speech appeared to be important step in aligning Chou closer [to] more extreme pro-Soviet elements within CCP.
We do not at this stage have any explanation for Soviet coolness toward Sino-Soviet Friendship Association.
Repeated Shanghai 907, Moscow 53, Department pass Peiping 299.
- Not printed; it reported Soviet press comment.↩