Journal of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 16 June 1960

USSR EMBASSY [USSR MFA Far   [USSR MFA General

IN THE DPRK East Department stamp: Secretariat stamp:

Nº 134 SECRET Incoming Nº 01711s SECRET Incoming Nº

9 August 1960 12-18 August 1960] 09152gs

12 August 1960]

TOP SECRET

Copy Nº 1

[Stamp: Foreign Policy Archive

Fond [[too faded to read]

Opis' 16, Yed. Khr. 85?7]

JOURNAL

of Soviet Ambassador in the DPRK A. M. PUZANOV for the period

13 through 28 June 1960

Pyongyang

[…]

16 June 1960

After familiarization with the information of Cde. P. F. Yudin about the conversation with Mao Zedong (the conversation was held on 30 November 1956), Cde. F. R. Kozlov presented it to me and instructed [me] to familiarize Kim Il Sung alone with it personally.

I visited Kim Il Sung at a guest house and said that I have instructions to familiarize him with a single document, adding that this could be done after Kim Il Sung inspected the exhibit of the wreckage of the downed American aircraft to which he planned to go; Kim Il Sung expressed a desire that I immediately familiarize him with this document.

I read Kim Il Sung Cde. P. F. Yudin's information about Mao Zedong's conversation with him concerning the question of Kim Il Sung (the conversation was held on 30 November 1956).

Kim Il Sung was extremely indignant at Mao Zedong's statements. In the course of reading the information he said several times, "This is a lie. This didn't happen. How could Mao Zedong not only say but even think such a thing about me", etc. Kim Il Sung was very disturbed and at first was even taken aback and sat silent for some time, and smoked unusually much. It was the first time I have had occasion to observe Kim Il Sung in such a condition. Usually it is hard to upset his equilibrium. Outwardly, he always remains calm. Then, Kim Il Sung repeated to me in detail the history of the formation of the anti-Party factional group of Choe Chang-ik and the others in the KWP in the summer of 1956, of the comradely advice given the delegation while in Moscow in June 1956, of the CPSU CC telegram about the anti-Party group (Kim Il Sung said that this CPSU CC telegram supported him), about the visit to Pyongyang by Peng Dehuai and A. I. Mikoyan in September 1956, about the apologies and all sorts of statements by Mao Zedong in Moscow in the autumn of 1957, about Peng Dehuai's visit to him at the same time, etc. Kim Il Sung declared that he has always taken and will firmly take Marxist-Leninist positions. During the Hungarian events, he noted, the KWP stirred the entire Korean people to the support of the measures of the Soviet Union and declared that it has always supported and will continue to support all the measures of the CPSU and the Soviet Government. Kim Il Sung exclaimed, how could Mao Zedong not only say, but even think that I could be a traitor, that I could be in collusion with Syngman Rhee? This is an outright lie and slander! The Chinese leaders are behaving hypocritically: they say one thing to your face and another behind your back. The CPSU and Soviet Government leaders act entirely differently. Cde. N. S. Khrushchev speaks frankly to us about our shortcomings and mistakes in a Party-like, comradely manner. He vigorously and consistently supports the correct policy of the KWP CC and DPRK government.

Kim Il Sung then asked if yesterday he had presented his position sufficiently clearly after Cde. F. R. Kozlov's information about the incorrect actions and factional activity of the Chinese leaders.

I told Kim Il Sung because I always speak frankly and openly with him, in a Party-like manner, I will say that yesterday in the conversation with Cde. F. R. Kozlov, A. N. Kosygin, and A. I. Mikoyan he did not present his position clearly about this issue, saying only that the CPC and CPSU representatives ought to meet and examine contentious issues.

Kim Il Sung exclaimed, but in fact the KWP CC has always supported and does support the CPSU CC line on all of the most important issues. We have acted that way in the past as we are acting now, as we will act in the future!

I told Kim Il Sung that we know that the KWP CC has always supported the position of the CPSU on the most important issues, but inasmuch at the present time the subject is about the incorrect factional actions of the Chinese leaders and their mistaken views about a number of important issues, it is obvious that it is advisable to speak clearly about one's own position, the KWP position on these issues.

Kim Il Sung said that he will speak about this frankly and vigorously tomorrow during the meeting with Cde. N. S. Khrushchev.

In the evening I informed Kim Il Sung that Cde. N. S. Khrushchev will receive him tomorrow at 1100.

[...]

USSR AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK

[signature] (A. PUZANOV)

Five copies printed - vp

1 - to Cde. A. A. Gromyko

2 - to Cde. Yu. V. Andropov

3 - to Cde. I. I. Tugarinov

4 - to the USSR MFA UVPI

5 - to file

Nº 397 8 August 1960