Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, The Far East and Australasia, Volume VI

501.BB Korea/2–1848: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin)

secret

Washington, February 18, 1948—7 p. m.

73. Dept has given careful consideration to British inquiry as set forth in Jessup’s¹ telephone call to Sandifer² as to our attitude on a temporary postponement of IC consideration of report of Temporary Korea Commission. As we understand it FonOff London has been informed that Canadian and Australian Delegations would oppose holding elections in South Korea; Canadian delegate would probably be withdrawn if Canadian view was rejected in Korean Commission; and in these circumstances FonOff wonders whether US would agree to adjournment of IC to permit time for informal discussion.

Attitude of Canadian Govt on this point has been known for some time while for your private info Australian delegate on KC seems to have come to Korea bent on proving that our administration in South Korea is that of a “police state”.

You are authorized at meeting of IC Feb. 19 following presentation by Menon of KC’s report to agree to a brief adjournment in order that the report may be studied by members of IC. Such adjournment should under no circumstances extend later than Feb. 24. We have not altered in any way our considered view that IC should advise KC to get on with its job and observe elections in such parts of Korea as are open to it. We intend firmly to oppose attitude of Canadian and Australian delegates and desire that you use utmost endeavors to bring other delegations to our point of view.³

Sent USUN. Repeated London 550, Ottawa 73, Canberra 46, Seoul 45.

Marshall

1. Philip C. Jessup, member of the U.S. delegation at the United Nations.
2. Durward V. Sandifer, Deputy Director of the Office of United Nations Affairs. Memorandum of telephone conversation not printed; telegram 183, February 18, 5:25 p. m., from New York, reporting the same conversation, not printed. (501.BB Korea/2–1848)
3. A briefing book with appropriate position papers prepared by the Department for the use of the U.S. delegate on the Interim Committee is filed in the master files of the Reference and Documents section of the Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO), Department of State, under title “Interim Committee, Consultation with the Korean Commission, February 1948”.