795.00/7–650: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
niact
[Received July 6—2:58 p. m.]
54. For the Secretary. Gromyko asked British Ambassador to call at two today, July 6. He asked Ambassador if he adhered to statement he had made to Pavlov on June 29 (Embtel 2, July 1).1 The Ambassador said yes and repeated that he had urged that the Soviet Government cooperate in effecting a peaceful settlement of the Korean dispute. Gromyko asked if Ambassador still adhered to this position in spite of what had happened since and of American actions. The Ambassador confirmed that he did.
Gromyko then stated Soviet Government wished for a peaceful settlement and asked if Ambassador had any specific proposals to make. Ambassador said since [sense?] his instructions were that British hoped Soviet Government would use its influence with North Korean Government to stop bloodshed. Pressed to be more specific Ambassador said British obviously desired to restore status quo. A UN commission had been working in South Korea to promote peaceful union of two halves and British wished to return to status quo and to stop war. Gromyko nodded assent.
Ambassador inquired whether he could report Gromyko as meaning that, despite his recent statement (Embtel 32, July 4)2 to effect that [Page 313] Soviet policy was one of noninterference, Soviet Government would be willing to act if it found suitable means. Gromyko said that Ambassador knew position of Soviet Government from documents which have been published but that Soviet Government wished for a peaceful settlement and therefore he had asked Ambassador if latter had any proposals. Ambassador said that all British asked was for the use of Soviet influence with the North Korean Government, that he would report at once what Gromyko had said and that he would ask to see Gromyko again if he received a further communication for him.
On theory that, since reply to British will not be made public, press correspondents will determine that reply given him must be different from that given us (Embtel 1767, June 29) Ambassador Kelly has, to avoid undesirable speculation, informed correspondents off-the-record that Gromyko asked him for “elucidation of his request for Soviet cooperation”.