795.00/6–851: Circular telegram
The Secretary of State to Certain Diplomatic Offices 1
779. In today’s briefing session of Ambs on Korea, Tomlinson (UK) proposed powers with armed forces in Korea request UN SYG approach Chi and North Korean authorities and suggest they appoint Protecting Power under 1949 POW Convention. It was agreed discuss details at next session on basis of memo distributed by Tomlinson.2
Asst Secy Hickerson cautioned press leaks of present discussion of [Page 525] new efforts toward peaceful settlement wld make consultations in group of Ambs ineffective.
Hickerson said while he and Rusk not completely convinced time has come for new public statement, if such statement desirable we inclined favor report by Pres as head of UC to SYG along general lines of Mar draft circulated to Ambs at that time and postponed because of MacArthur affair and renewed Commie offensive. We wld tend prefer such report to statement by 16 participating powers but if others strongly supported latter we may go along. US believes public statement might have advantage from public opinion viewpoint but at this time will not contribute materially to settlement since our view enemy has not expended its fighting power. Our view statement shld be cast in general terms excluding detailed conditions of cease-fire. It might emphasize along lines of Acheson testimony that UN military objective wld be accomplished if enemy now stopped fighting. Hickerson emphasized there has been no public or private statement by Chi Commies or North Korean authorities indicating they had changed their objective to drive UN out of Korea. Any public statement issued prior to indication of any such change shld be limited to general terms and more specific terms can be put forth when we have indication Commies willing talk. Hickerson emphasized we have no new draft of statement and reached no conclusion but desire comments. He added, thought may be given also to private approach to precede or follow public statement.
Amb Wrong (Canada) said Canad Govt inclined towards private approach to be published only later. He thought Chi wld be more willing negotiate on private basis. Any approach might refer to what Secy Acheson said re 38th parallel.3
Amb Spender (Australia) opposed any offer to Commies as distinguished from declaration of objectives. Austral Govt believes time not ready for offer and rebuff wld create public pressure for more drastic action in some countries and impair unity free world. However, to show public opinion we are doing all we can Amb Spender strongly favored public declaration of principles to be made now stressing UN determination to fight on if aggression continues, no reward for aggressors, limited UN objectives in Korea. He favored statement by participating powers over UC report.
Amb Silvercruys (Belgium) believed Ambs must study more closely possible steps even though future consultations may be necessary to determine whether time for any step has come.
[Page 526]Hickerson suggested continuation of consultations at next briefing session.
- This message was sent to the U.S. Mission at the United Nations and repeated to the Embassies in Addis Ababa, Ankara, Athens, Bangkok, Brussels, Canberra, Cape Town, The Hague, London, Manila, Paris, and Wellington, and to the Legation in Luxembourg; it was repeated by airgram to the Embassies in Bogota and Ottawa.↩
- Not printed.↩
- See the editorial note, p. 497. On June 7, Mr. Acheson, responding to a question from Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, reiterated his previous statement that a cease-fire at the 38th parallel would be acceptable to the United Nations; see Hearings, p. 2085.↩