A coherent algebra is a matrix algebra (over $\mathbb{C}$) closed under conjugate transpose and Schur (entrywise) product, and that contains the identity matrix $I$ and all ones matrix $J$. Given coherent algebras $\mathcal{A}$ and $\mathcal{B}$, a weak isomorphism from $\mathcal{A}$ to $\mathcal{B}$ is a bijective linear map $\varphi$ satisfying:

1. $\varphi(MN) = \varphi(M)\varphi(N)$;
2. $\varphi(M \circ N) = \varphi(M) \circ \varphi(N)$ (where $\circ$ denotes the Schur product);
3. $\varphi(M^*) = \varphi(M)^*$ where $^*$ denotes conjugate transpose;
4. $\varphi(J) = J$.

Given a graph $G$ with adjacency matrix $A$, the *coherent algebra of $G$* is defined as the intersection of all coherent algebras containing $A$. In this [paper](http://www.combinatorics.org/ojs/index.php/eljc/article/view/v16i1r120) they define two graphs $G$ and $H$ to be *equivalent* if there exists a weak isomorphism between their corresponding coherent algebras that also maps the adjacency matrix of $G$ to the adjacency matrix of $H$. In the paper they say that there exists a polynomial time algorithm for testing whether two graphs are equivalent and cite Weisfeiler and Lehman's [paper](http://www.researchgate.net/publication/247372464_Reduction_of_a_graph_to_a_canonical_form_and_an_algebra_arising_during_this_reduction).

I gather that the Weisfeiler-Lehman algorithm is closely related to coherent algebras, but have so far only been able to find references which describe the algorithm in a purely combinatorial manner, i.e. in terms of graphs not coherent algebras. The paper of Weisfeiler and Lehman linked above is not available to me and is anyways written in Russian. I am wondering if there is a direct connection with the definition of graph equivalence given above, and the Weisfeiler-Lehman algorithm for distinguishing graphs. More specifically, is it true that two graphs are equivalent if and only if they cannot be distinguished by ($k$-dimensional) Weisfeiler-Lehman (for some [specific] $k$)?