357.AD/10–1050
Memorandum by Mr. John C. Ross of the United States Mission at the United Nations to the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Rusk)
Subject: Engen–Kassaniev Conversations
Confirming my telephone call this afternoon, Engen told me today that he had seen Kassaniev again yesterday afternoon. Kassaniev had said that he had reported the last conversation with Engen fully to Vishinsky. Kassaniev carried back to Engen from Vishinsky the message that Vishinsky presented his compliments and thanked Engen for communicating his interesting views.
Engen interpreted this as a polite cutting off of the conversations for the time being and he thinks the reason probably for cutting them off was the crossing of the 38th Parallel last weekend.
At the same time, there is no unfriendliness at all in Kassaniev’s manner; on the contrary, it was agreed that they would get together again next week.
Engen said that he had also given a full report of the conversations on Sunday1 to Foreign Minister Lange, who approved of Engen continuing the conversations as circumstances might arise. Lange’s view was that at least they provided an opportunity for getting our views across.
- October 8.↩