Lot 54D423
Memorandum by the Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations (Gross) to the Consultant to the Secretary (Dulles)
Subject: Conversation with Malik concerning Discussions of Japanese Peace Treaty
Following is report of conversation with Malik concerning discussions of the Japanese Peace Treaty, as reported to you by telephone last evening.
In accordance with your request, I approached Malik following the Security Council meeting March 9. I said that I regretted the apparent misunderstanding between us regarding his reaction to your invitation, relayed through me to Malik on February 27. Malik replied somewhat stiffly, “I told you that Mr. Dulles and I had taken different paths.” I said that I recalled this but did not interpret it as a refusal to meet with you to receive your impressions of your trip to the Far East. Malik made no comment.
I went on to say that we did not want to leave the matter simply on the basis of an exchange of statements to the press, and that I should like to be in a position to report to you definitely whether or not Malik would be interested in meeting with you to discuss the matter further. Malik replied, “No, I do not think that would be appropriate.” We shook hands and parted.
Unlike his demeanor on February 27, when he was jovial and smiling, Malik impressed me as being unusually stiff during our brief [Page 908] chat yesterday. Tsarapkin,1 who joined us as soon as I started to talk to Malik, refrained from comment.
- Semyon K. Tsarapkin, an Adviser to the Soviet Delegation to the United Nations.↩