Telegram from Pyongyang to Bucharest, TOP SECRET, No. 76.024, Flash

On January 27, the DPRK Deputy Foreign Minister Heo Dam summoned the chiefs of diplomatic missions from all socialist countries in Pyongyang to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to whom he presented the declaration of the DPRK government on its position towards ‘the campaign of calumnies and threats launched by American imperialists’ in the aftermath of the capture of the USS Pueblo, as well as the discussion of the issue in the Security Council of the United Nations.

A note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was attached to the document for the diplomatic missions of socialist countries in Pyongyang in which they were asked to present the text of the declaration to their respective governments, hoping that the position outlined in the declaration would resonate well with those governments, which would then undertake the appropriate measures to actively support it. The note did not ask for a reply.

After justifying the capture of the USS Pueblo as a self-defense measure and stating that the threats and blackmailing undertaken by the aggressors would not frighten the North Korean people, who are always ready to repel any sort of aggression, the document condemned the fact that the incident was discussed by the United Nations Security Council. The document describes the discussion of this internal matter of the DPRK as illegal and advised the UN not to repeat its shameful history as a tool of aggression against the Korean people.

We believe it is advisable to explore the possibilities to insert a paraphrased text of the aforementioned declaration in our press, quoting its source; a reserved position towards the Korean request would upset the Korean leadership, which we should avoid, especially now that our bilateral relations are experiencing a turning point in their development.

The title of the declaration was released on January 27 by the Korean Central News Agency ACTC.

Signed: N. Popa