Office of the Historian

795.00/7–2050

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

top secret
niact
London, July 20, 1950—2 p. m.
[Received July 20—9:59 a. m.]

428. For Secretary, Rusk or Perkins. British yesterday cabled British Embassy, Washington, to consult you concerning instructions to Kelly to hand Gromyko written memo restating British position so as not to leave Gromyko’s last statement to him as final word.1 There has not been time for you to comment on this message. We have examined it and British have accepted suggestion that it be made perfectly clear that in the first move in this exchange made by Gromyko he stated that Soviet Government desired a peaceful solution of the Korean situation. It would also be made clear that this is not the first time that HMG has urged Soviets to use their influence with North Koreans for withdrawal.

In the light of the incomplete and slanted version of Kelly-Gromyko conversations released by Tass at early hour this morning,2 Cabinet decided this morning to take following steps:

(1)
Instruction to Kelly as described above will be immediately despatched;3
(2)
At 3:30 p. m. London daylight time in response to question from Eden, Prime Minister will make a full statement tracing entire history of Gromyko–Kelly talks.4 He will conclude by saying that Kelly has been instructed again to make position of HMG entirely clear to Soviets.

There will probably be no time for you to make useful comments concerning instructions to Kelly; however, should you have any suggestions concerning Prime Minister’s statement, please telephone Holmes by 2:30 p. m. London daylight time. It is doubtful that this short time schedule will permit any alteration and we believe that both instructions to Kelly and statement of Prime Minister will be found [Page 437] satisfactory. In any event these next moves are in the lap of the Gods and the conscience of the British people.

Douglas
  1. A copy of a message from Mr. Bevin to Sir Oliver Franks containing suggestions for a memorandum to be handed to Gromyko by Sir David Kelly was transmitted to the Department of State by the British Embassy on July 19; not printed (795.00/7–1950).↩
  2. See supra. ↩
  3. See the note from the British Embassy, July 20, p. 437.↩
  4. See Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, 5th series, vol. 477, col. 2485; also reprinted in British Cmd. 8078, p. 27.↩