From the Journal of A.A. Gromyko, 'Reception of US Ambassador Kirk, 29 June 1950'

[Handwritten]:

to Cde. G. S. Sazhin/Saksin

to Cde. ?N. I. Molyakov?

FROM THE JOURNAL               SECRET

OF A. A. GROMYKO      30 June 1950

Nº 210/AG

RECEPTION OF US AMBASSADOR KIRK

29 June 1950

Today, I invited U.S. Ambassador Kirk and delivered a statement of the Soviet Government to him in response to the statement of the U.S. Government of 27 June (attached).

Having familiarized himself with the text of the statement, Kirk asked whether this was also a reply to the point in which the U.S. Government asked the Soviet Government to influence the North Korean authorities.

I replied to Kirk that the statement given to him was the response of the Soviet Government to the statement of the U.S. Government of 27 June, including the point mentioned by the Ambassador.

At Kirk's request the text of our reply was (verbally) translated into English for him.

The conversation lasted 10 minutes.

Present at the reception were Cde. V. N. Pastoyev, Assistant to the Chief of the Protocol Department, and N. I. Molyakov, First Secretary of the U.S. Department.

DEPUTY USSR MINISTER OF

FOREIGN AFFAIRS /A. Gromyko/

Authenticated by [illegible signature]

[Handwritten]: Ref N 854/SShA

30 June 1950

Delivered to U.S. Ambassador Kirk

by Cde. A. A. Gromyko during a

conversation on 29 June 1950

In connection with the statement of the Government of the United States of American, which you sent on 27 June, the Soviet Government has charged me with stating the following.

1. According to reliable information of the Soviet Government, the events, which are occurring in Korea, were provoked by an attack on border areas of North Korea by forces of the South Korean authorities. Therefore, the responsibility for these events rests on the South Korean authorities and on those who are behind them.

2. As is well known, the Soviet Government withdrew its troops from Korea before the United States did and thereby affirmed its traditional principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Now, the Soviet Government stands by the principle of the impermissibility of the interference of foreign powers in the internal affairs of Korea.

3. It is not correct that the Soviet Government refused to participate in the Security Council meetings. Much as the Soviet Government would have liked, it was impossible to take part in the Security Council meetings since a permanent member of the Security Council, China, has not been admitted to the Council by virtue of the position of the U.S. Government, which has made it impossible for the Security Council to make legally valid decisions.