Letter, Y. Andropov to the CPSU CC

mp-3

Top Secret

42046

[KGB letterhead]

16 December 1969

Nº 3189-A

[to the] CPSU CC

The activity of Chinese diplomats and journalists accredited in Moscow increased notably in the second half of November and December.

On 9 December Embassy officials delivered a large quantity of propaganda materials of an anti-Soviet nature to many foreign missions: a statement of the Chinese government, PRC MFA documents about border questions, articles “about an increase of Soviet-American collusion”, etc.

In conversations with representatives of the diplomatic corps and foreign correspondents the Chinese strenuously spread their version of the negotiations in Peking, trying to present the PRC line in a favorable light and to discredit the position of the Soviet Union.

In particular they say: “In recent years Soviet troops have occupied a number of territories on the Chinese border. The area of these territories does not exceed 3000 square kilometers, but China considers them their own. China is ready to settle border questions, however the Soviet Union is hampering this. The PRC raises only one condition, that the large Soviet military forces be withdrawn from the border 40-50 km into the interior of the country. Then the Chinese are ready to settle border disputes. But in refusing to grant this request the Soviet side is frustrating a settlement.

[Translator’s note: there are four illegible words, probably signatures, in the left margin]

As has become known, the US Embassy recently received instructions from the State Department to invite Chinese diplomats and journalists to unofficial receptions. However, the Chinese decline the Americans’ invitations to such receptions; at the same time they are eagerly seeking receptions organized by the representatives of third countries at which Americans are present.

For example, MCCALL, Second Secretary of the US Embassy, told our foreign agent, that from conversations with Chinese journalists at one of the cocktails he was able to get information that the Soviet-Chinese negotiations in Peking “had reached a deadlock”.

Chinese diplomats are displaying special interest in the Soviet-American negotiations in Helsinki, and are also trying to find out how serious are the prospects of achieving agreement [between] the Soviet Union and the other socialist countries and West Germany.

It is characteristic for the behavior of the representatives of China that as before they try in every way to avoid participation in receptions where representatives of only socialist countries attend. Declining invitations, they give a standard reply, “You know our attitude toward some so-called socialist countries”.

CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE FOR STATE SECURITY

[signature]

ANDROPOV