Office of the Historian

795.00/7–1550: Telegram

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State

top secret
niact
London, July 15, 1950—6 p. m.
[Received July 15—1:39 p. m.]

331. Eyes only for the Secretary. After luncheon meeting today (see mytel 330)1 Strang handed me text of Nehru’s message to Stalin transmitted in my immediately following telegram.2 It was pointed out to Strang that text did not include details of India’s proposal and he was asked whether British had substance of discussions between Indian Ambassador Moscow and Soviet Foreign Office. Reply was in negative. This answer leads us to believe that Indians have not wholly confided in UK. Strang made great point that it was highly exceptional for UK to give us text of communication between Prime Ministers within Commonwealth and also that our possession this text should not be disclosed to anyone.

Department pass Moscow; repeated info Moscow 27.

Douglas
  1. Supra.↩
  2. Telegram 332 not printed; Prime Minister Nehru’s message to Generalissimo Stalin was virtually identical with his message to Mr. Acheson; see the memorandum by Mr. McGhee to Mr. Acheson, July 13, p. 372.↩