Secret Telegram from Jaszczuk (Moscow) to Rapacki (Warsaw) [Ciphergram No. 2004]

Secret

Ciphergram No. 2004

From…Moscow…dispatched on 02.13.63 at 13:10 hours…received on 02.13.63 at 13:25 hours...

Came in to the Decoding Department…02.13.63 at 16:00 hours……………………………..

Eyes Only

Immediately

RAPACKI

From the conversation with Gromyko:

1) I relayed to him the content of your conversation with [DRV Ambassador to Poland] Tran Chi Hien.

2) Gromyko received from [Sergei?] Vinogradov a message that an economic counselor of the DRV in Paris informed him about the fact that the Americans desired the neutralization of Vietnam. The counselor assessed this as an important and interesting message.

3) After the conversation with Michałowski, Gromyko presented its content to the leadership of the CC [Central Committee]. The assessment is as follows: The US would like to get out of the uncomfortable situation in South Vietnam. It was only in Vienna [in June 1961] when Kennedy was telling Khrushchev that their presence and entanglement in the war in Vietnam was the result of Eisenhower’s policies. The CC concludes that the possibility of solving the problem in South Vietnam is rising – Of course, this solution must be in our favor and not in that of the Americans. That is why a decision was also made to have the Soviet side talk to the DRV, with the suggestion proposed by us.  They will have their conclusions ready in 2-3 days and they will turn to us for a consultation.

4) [Information regarding Gromyko’s trip to Scandinavia, NATO, the Warsaw Pact, etc. – none related to discussion on Vietnam].

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/-/ Jaszczuk

No. 75

Deciphered on 02.13.16:30

Deciphered by Jaszczak, checked by Strzelecki