A. Lazar and G. Chubotarenko from the Soviet Embassy in Pyongyang discuss the purge of Pak Geum-cheol from the Korean Workers' Party.

The telegram highlights the new South Korean effort to normalize relations with China and the USSR. Both Soviet and Chinese officials reject the overture from South Korea.

Soviet officials note their dissatisfaction towards the state of relations between the USSR and the DPRK. According to the Soviets, the exchange of delegations between the two countries is at an all time low, but they expect their relationship to improve in the next year. A similar "tenuous" relationship is observed between the PRC and the DPRK.

Conversation between Romanian and Soviet representatives reveals that North Koreans are slowly withdrawing from direct contacts with South Korea. Instead, Pyongyang is seeking external support for its position. Meanwhile, North Korea is now looking at China with increased suspicion after Zhou Enlai noted that Beijing was not interested in the withdrawal of US troops from Asia. On another note, North Korea asks the Soviets to forbid South Koreans to enter the Soviet Union for the University Olympics held there.

The Embassy of Romania of Pyongyang assesses the February 15 naval clash between North and South Korea based on the comments of B.K. Pimenov, Minister-Counselor within the USSR Embassy in Pyongyang.

The Embassy of Romania in the DPRK reports on discussions held between DPRK Minister of National Defense, Kim Changbong, and Leonid Brezhnev on Soviet intervention in the event that an armed conflict were to break out in Korea.