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August 31, 1957

Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A.M. Puzanov for 31 August 1957

This document was made possible with support from ROK Ministry of Unification

SOVIET EMBASSY IN THE DPRK TOP SECRET

Nº 223 Copy Nº 1

2 October 1957

 

[handwritten: 010698-gs

6 October [[5]]7]

 

[stamp:

Incoming 02856s;

9 October 1957]

 

 

 

The Journal of Soviet Ambassador to the DPRK A. M. PUZANOV

for the period 31 August through 30 September 1957

 

Pyongyang

 

31 August 1957

 

I visited Nam Il at his invitation.

 

Nam Il reported that the KWP CC Presidium has considered the CPSU CC and USSR Council of Ministers invitation to select a Party-government delegation to the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Great October. The Presidium approved Kim Il Sung as leader of the delegation and proposed that he select the delegation's personnel list and submit it for approval.

 

The Presidium heard and discussed the report of Kim Il, the leader of the delegation to the USSR concerning the draft of the first five-year plan. Kim Il Sung spoke at the Presidium with a detailed critique of the comments and suggestions expressed by Gosplan and the State Committee for Economic Relations concerning the draft of the first five-year plan. He fully and vigorously supported all the comments, recommendations, and suggestions of Gosplan and the State Committee. Presidium members reacted approvingly to the comments and suggestions and fully accepted them. The Presidium suggested that Gosplan and the ministries make the necessary changes to the draft of the five-year plan in accordance with the comments and suggestions made in Moscow.

 

The Plenum decided to convene the first session of the second convocation of the Supreme People's Assembly on 18 September. The session will examine the following questions: the formation of a government, the election of the chairman and Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and the creation of commissions. Nam Il reported in this respect that this means the creation of such permanent commissions as credentials and budget [commissions]. He further inquired as to whether the USSR Supreme Soviet has a commission on foreign policy issues and what permanent commissions there are in general.

 

I informed Nam Il that there are the following permanent commissions in the Soviet of the Union and the Soviet of Nationalities: credentials, budget, legislative proposals, and foreign policy issues.

 

Nam Il noted that they are also proposing to organizing commissions on legislative proposals and foreign policy issues.

 

Nam Il then reported that Kim Il Sung wishes to hold a conversation with you next week on the issue of the composition of the new government.

 

Nam Il also reported that the Presidium charged him with informing Chinese Ambassador Qiao Xiaoguang about the latest measures of the KWP CC with respect to the anti-Party group of Choe Chang-ik, Pak Chang-ok, and others.

 

On instructions of Kim Il Sung Nam Il invited me, Counselors Pelishenko, Kryukov, Makarov, Trade Representative Gladkov, and DPRK Gosplan Advisers Lukovnikov to lunch at Kim Il Sung's today, 31 August.

 

I expressed gratitude for the invitation.

 

x x x

 

I was at a luncheon at Kim Il Sung's at a country dacha together with Cdes. Pelishenko, Kryukov, Makarov, Gladkov, and Lukovnikov. Present on the friends' side at the lunch were Kim Il Sung, Choe Yong-geon [Choe Yong Gon], Kim Il, Pak Jeong-ae [Pak Jong Ae], Kim Chang-man, Nam Il, Pak Geum-cheol [Pak Kum Chol], and Ri Jeong-ok. The luncheon took place in a warm, comradely atmosphere. At the start of the luncheon Kim Il Sung said that the KWP CC Presidium fully approved of the comments and suggestions of Gosplan and the State Committee regarding the draft of the five-year plan; the KWP CC expresses heartfelt gratitude to the CPSU CC and Soviet government for the very close examination of the draft of the five-year plan and the quite valuable comments and suggestions expressed by Gosplan and the State Committee. Kim Il Sung proposed a toast to the CPSU CC, Soviet government, and CPSU CC First Secretary N. S. Khrushchev.

 

In the conversation which took place during the luncheon and in the car when returning to the city Kim Il Sung very warmly and cordially spoke of the close, comprehensive, and deep examination of the draft of the first five-year plan in Moscow, the correct and substantive comments and suggestions made by Gosplan and the State Committee about the draft of the five-year plan, and expressed cordial gratitude to the CPSU CC and Soviet government for the work done, and for the enormous aid which was given in such a large and important matter as the drawing up and implementation of the 1st DPRK five-year plan which has begun.  Kim Il Sung said that the comments and suggestions made are for him personally a great tool in practical work and in the management of ministries and departments. The KWP CC Presidium [meeting] which was held approved the comments and suggestions concerning the five-year plan. Kim Il did not report to the Presidium in the memorandum or orally about those suggestions which he, without the Presidium's agreement, submitted for the consideration of the Soviet government, namely: maintenance of the current prices for monazite and zinc concentrate and an extension of payment for the credits given to the DPRK by the USSR. Kim Il Sung said that right now they are making changes to the draft of the five-year plan but evidently will not be able to make all the changes before the trip to the PRC. Kim Il Sung also reported that now they are reconsidering some requests of the PRC government about mutual trade turnover in the direction of reducing a previously composed request. Kim Il Sung then noted that it has become known to them from recently published materials that they have six meters of cloth per capita in the PRC and eight meters in the DPRK. Accordingly, it is improper for us to address large requests to the PRC both regarding questions of cloth and several others and we have decided to reduce them.

 

Kim Il Sung asked, was I plan to go to Moscow on business in the next few days.

 

I replied to Kim Il Sung that possibly such a trip would take place but the issue has still not been decided.

 

In connection with the fact that the first session of the second convocation of the Supreme People's Assembly is set for 18 September, Kim Il Sung noted we need to meet with you and talk about a number of quite important issues.

 

We agreed to meet on 3 or 4 September.

 

I tactfully informed Kim Il Sung about the delay in the delivery of cement to the USSR per the trade turnover plan for 1957. One hundred and forty thousand tons of cement are to be delivered during the year. As of 1 September 40,000 tons have been delivered and 10,000 tons is being delayed.

 

Kim Il Sung thanked [me] for the information and said that he did not know this. Such a event is completely unacceptable. The delivery of goods per the trade turnover plan should be a first priority. I will take the necessary steps. (Trade Representative Gladkov reported that strict instructions have been given about the prompt shipment of cement to the USSR)…

 

[…]

 

SOVIET AMBASSADOR IN THE DPRK

[signature] (A. PUZANOV)

 

Five copies printed:

1 - Cde. Gromyko

2 - Cde. Fedorenko

3 - Cde. Kurdyukov

4 - Cde. Solodovnikov

5 - to file

Nº 590

printed [pech.] g/k [abbreviation unknown]

2 October 1957

 

Nam Il reports to Puzanov that the KWP Presidium approved all USSR suggestions on the DPRK's draft five-year plan. They go on to discuss the commissions that exist in the Soviet Union and plans for organizing DPRK commissions. At a luncheon later that day, Kim Il Sung reiterates his gratitude for USSR consultation on DPRK economic development with Puzanov reminding the DPRK of its trade obligations.


Document Information

Source

AVPRF F. 0102, Op. 13, P. 72, Delo 5, Listy 275-300. Translated by Gary Goldberg.

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Original Uploaded Date

2012-10-26

Type

Diary Entry

Language

Record ID

115657

Donors

ROK Ministry of Unification and Leon Levy Foundation