Office of the Historian

761.93/12–1749: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kirk) to the Secretary of State

Moscow, December 17, 1949—noon.
[Received December 17—5:26 a. m.]

3123. Press prominently reports arrival Mao Tze-tung Moscow yesterday accompanied by Professor Chen Po-ta and others unnamed. Was received same day at Kremlin by Stalin, Molotov,20 Malenkov,21 Bulganin22 and Vishinsky.23 At railroad station to meet him were following: Molotov, Bulganin, Menshikov,24 Gromyko,25 Moscow Commandant [Page 637] Sinilov, Chief First FE Section, MFA, Kuryukov, Acting Chief Protocol Section, MFA, B.U. Shuyev, Chinese Ambassador and staff, Czech, Korean, Bulgarian, Rumanian, Hungarian, Mongolian, Albanian Ambassadors, Polish Chargé and acting head German Diplomatic Mission.26

Press states Mao was met at USSR border by Deputy Foreign Minister Lavrentyev and others and that Roschin27 arrived Moscow “simultaneously with Mao”.

At station Mao made brief radio speech. Large photo of group at station shows Mao fleshier than usual pictures.

Kirk
  1. V. M. Molotov, Senior Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union.↩
  2. G. M. Malenkov, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union.↩
  3. Marshal N. A. Bulganin, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union.↩
  4. A. Ya. Vyshinsky, Soviet Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩
  5. Mikhail Alexeyevich Menshikov, Soviet Minister of Foreign Trade.↩
  6. A. A. Gromyko, Soviet First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩
  7. All Communist representatives.↩
  8. N. V. Roschin, Soviet Ambassador in China successively to the National Government and to the Chinese Communist regime at Peiping.↩