740.00119 P.W./5–1346
The Secretary of State to the Soviet Minister for Foreign Affairs (Molotov), Then at Paris30
My Dear Mr. Molotov: I have learned that there has been some difficulty in obtaining authorization from the appropriate Soviet authorities for Ambassador Edwin Pauley and his Reparation Mission to enter Northern Korea. I understand that your Government has been given complete details with regard to the Mission and the fact that Mr. Pauley would like to proceed to Northern Korea about May 20 to spend three to five days visiting industrial centers, accompanied by a staff of about five members. I should appreciate anything that you can do to facilitate Mr. Pauley’s Mission and desire to assure you that reciprocal similar authorization would be granted an equivalent Soviet Mission to visit the southern area of Korea, should you so desire.31
Sincerely yours,
- Secretary of State Byrnes and Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov were both in Paris attending meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers, April 25–May 15, 1946.↩
- The Department in its circular telegram of May 15, 10 a.m., informed Nanking and Paris that “USSR FonOff says Sov authorities north Korea notified of Pauley’s visit there.” (740.00119 PW/5–1546) The Soviet Chargé (Novikov) in his note of May 18 stated that the Pauley mission had permission to enter north Korea; this was acknowledged by the Department on May 22, and Mr. Pauley was informed by telegram 71, May 18, 5 p.m., to Seoul. (740.00119 PW/5–1846)↩