Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 18 July 1957

SOVIET EMBASSY IN THE DPRK TOP SECRET

Nº 175 Copy Nº 1

1 August 1957

[faded image of a stamp:

[[TOP SECRET]]

Incoming 9211-gs;

10 August 1957]

The Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A. M. PUZANOV

for the period 11 through 31 July 1957

Pyongyang

TOP SECRET

Copy Nº 1

[…]

18 July 1957

I received Ambassador of the Hungarian Peoples Republic, Prat Karoly at his request.

The Ambassador said that he had been charged with holding talks and upon approval signing an agreement about the settlement procedure for foreign trade payments between the Hungarian Peoples Republic and the DPRK. The Hungarian side offered a rate of 1 to 3.8. After examination of the issue the Korean side agreed with the latter, but in return proposed a rate of 1 to 5. The issue was appropriately justified. When accepting the above offer the ratio between the floring [SIC; forint was probably intended] and won will be one floring to 13 won, while right now one floring equals 40 [won]. We had the following question arise when examining the materials of the Korean side: the Korean side is calculating one ruble at a rate of 30 won while, as far as we known, a rate of 1 to 17 is used in foreign trade payments and we would like to consult on this issue.

I told the Ambassador that our foreign trade representative handled issues of calculations for foreign trade payments, therefore it would be more advisable for a representative of your Embassy to meet with our trade representative at the discretion of the Ambassador and examine issues of interest to you with him.

Prat Karoly agreed with the suggestion.

Prat Karoly then reported that after my report to the ambassadors on 8 July during a meeting with Ho Chi Minh about the Soviet government support of the DPRK and PRC protest about the American's violation of Article 13 of the Korean Armistice Agreement, on the same day he suggested to his government that it support the DPRK and PRC protest. The Ambassador expressed his view that, in his opinion, Poland and Czechoslovakia ought to make a statement simultaneously inasmuch as the representatives of their countries are members of the Neutral Armistice Commission.

For my part I noted that I did not see any special significance in Poland and Czechoslovakia not acting simultaneously. I informed the Ambassador that, as far as I know, at the present time a meeting of the Neutral Armistice Commission is taking place at which the representatives of Sweden and Switzerland have proposed: to take under advisement the statement of American General Litzenberg made in the Military Commission about their violations of Article 13. The representatives of Poland and Czechoslovakia opposed this and are trying get a joint statement with the representatives of Sweden and Switzerland in which there would be a protest against the Americans' violations of Article 13 of the Korean Armistice Agreement.

Prat Karoly expressed his view that DPRK Minister of Foreign Affairs Nam Il call together the ambassadors more often and inform them about the most important issues of international politics.

I agreed with the advisability of the suggestion [he] made.

Prat Karoly asked if I knew the decision of the Japanese government about a lifting of the prohibition on trade with the PRC in more than 270 commodities.

I replied that [I] knew.

Prat Karoly warmly recalled and highly praised an interview that Cde. N. S. Khrushchev gave correspondents of the American radio and television company Columbia Broadcasting Company on 28 May 1957.

I asked the Ambassador whether he had seen the interview with Cde. N. S. Khrushchev at our [Embassy] recorded on film. If he hadn't seen it, then the Ambassador could come to us at the Embassy at any time he wishes and listen to it. The Ambassador replied that he hadn't seen it and that he himself, Embassy officials, and also other Hungarian citizens in the DPRK, about 30-35 people, would very much like to listen and see Cde. N. S. Khrushchev's interview.

We arranged to do this on Monday, 22 July.

I asked the Ambassador to inform me about the All-Hungarian Conference of the Hungary Socialist Worker's Party at his convenience.

Prat Karoly replied that he had been sent materials about this conference and as soon as they were received he would produce such information with great pleasure.

[…]

SOVIET AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK

[signature] (A. PUZANOV)

Five copies printed

1 - Cde. Gromyko

2. - Cde. Fedorenko

3. - Cde. Kurdyukov

4. - Cde. Solodovnik

5. - file

Nº 482

1 August 1957