128. Telegram From the Embassy in the Soviet Union to the Department of State1
14472. Subject: Technical Penetration Protest. Ref: State 158602.2
1. Charge delivered protest, as outlined in reftel, to First Deputy Foreign Minister Korniyenko afternoon of June 22. In addition to making points suggested in reftel, Charge referred to his June 21 meeting with Ambassador Kuznetsov 3 on same subject, and also showed Korniyenko official copy of Soviet ground plan of Embassy building which clearly included chimney as part of Embassy property.
2. Korniyenko responded along familiar lines, “most decisively” rejecting assertion that USSR was involved in any sort of provocation against Embassy, and arguing that chimney had no connection to Embassy and indeed was an “essential part” of the heating system of the neighboring building. The occupants of that building demand restoration of damage caused by Embassy, and if Embassy does not comply they have the right to repair the damage themselves. Perhaps the heating system had not been used for a while, but the chimney had to be useable in case the furnace were fired up.
3. Charge said he could only reiterate the Embassy’s protest, stress that the facts were clear and our position was firm, and express his hope that the Soviet Government would take note of U.S. position and avoid further exacerbation of situation.
4. As reported septel,4 there has been no discernible Soviet activity around chimney today.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P890106–0981. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Sent for information Immediate to the White House.↩
- See Document 127.↩
- In telegram 14311 from Moscow, June 21, the Embassy reported that Kuznetsov demanded that the chimney be returned to its original condition; see footnote 2, Document 126.↩
- Not found.↩