795.00/7–1850: Telegram
The Ambassador in India (Henderson) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 18—11:18 a. m.]
129. 1. Last sentence of text Stalin’s reply1 as allegedly given out by Soviet Embassy and published in Indian News Chronicle read as follows: I suppose that for a quicker settlement of the Korean problem, it would be necessary to hear Representatives of the Korean people.; Text telegraphed by Radhakrishnan read as follows: I believe that to reach an early settlement of the Korean question it would be expedient in the SC to hear Representatives of the Korean people. Bajpai, SyG MEA yesterday pointed out that Soviet translation text used word “necessary” whereas Radhakrishnan’s word was “expedient”. He took it for granted that Soviet Embassy had meddled with text.
2. It has occurred to me that text may have been received by Indian Embassy in Moscow in Russian language and that in making translation Embassy had toned down message somewhat by translating Russian word as “expedient” rather than “necessary” in order to make reply more palatable.
Department pass Moscow; repeated info Moscow 5.