Monday, 5 April

I talked to Jingchen and asked him to inform everybody in the Embassy that if anybody wanted to study Russian or other languages, I would try to subsidise them 100 roubles for each subject, up to two subjects, out of the Embassy’s budget, with the aim to encourage them to study during spare time. Probably we might use more than 1,000 roubles every month. In order to encourage them to learn, although we have to be a little bit frugal, the spending is still worthwhile.

At 1.00 in the afternoon I went to the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs to see the Director of Communication, F.F. Molochkov, asking him about the news that the Diplomatic Corps would be moved back to Moscow. He thought that it was hopeful this year, and I also asked him to try to find some residential places in Moscow for Embassy staff.

At 4.30 the Australian Embassy Counsellor Officer visited me. The Australian Ambassador had gone to Moscow and then changed flight to Egypt to seek medication.