Foreign Relations of the United States, 1951, Korea and China, Volume VII, Part 1

795.00/7–151: Telegram

The Commander in Chief, United Nations Command (Ridgway) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff

top secret
operational immediate

Tokyo, July 1, 1951—6:25 p. m.

CX 66160. Urmsg JCS 95354, 30 June 1951. This message in two parts.

Part 1. To time of dispatch of this message, no communication has been received from any Communist source in reply to my initial message. Assuming a favorable reply is received, I plan to broadcast second message to Communist Commander suggesting initial contact between opposing forces be made by liaison officers either at Wonsan Airfield or on main Seoul-Kaesong highway between Kaesong and Imjin River. Purpose of this “preliminary meeting” is strictly for arranging details for the first meeting to include time, place, routes and procedures for movement, size of delegations, safe conduct for representatives and necessary safety zones.

Part 2. Assuming arrangements for first meeting satisfactorily made, I propose to send Vice Admiral Joy with credentials to act as my representative.¹ Delegation with Admiral Joy will be Major General Hodes, Eighth Army; Major General Craigie, FEAF; Rear Admiral Burke, NAVFE; General Paik, ROK Army,² and small staff. Objectives of first meeting are:

a. To establish formal contact between CINCUNC and the enemy commander through the medium of a personal representative of Flag (general officer) rank.

b. To determine through discussion with the enemy delegation whether the enemy is acting in good faith and is willing to seek agreement on terms for bringing about a cessation of hostilities and acts of armed forces in Korea, under conditions which will provide for the security of the armed forces of each belligerent and assurance against the resumption of fighting in Korea for an extended period.

c. To establish in the minds of the enemy, and to secure tentative enemy reaction thereto, the agenda items which from the standpoint of the United Nations are essential for discussion at a second meeting.

d. To receive enemy agenda items, if any.

e. To seek agreement on an agenda for a second meeting provided the good faith of the enemy had been established to the satisfaction of CINCUNC representative.

f. To arrange the mechanics of the second meeting at which armistice terms will be discussed.

The agenda proposed for the second meeting, as a minimum, will include the following items:

a. Adoption of agenda.

b. Limitation of discussions at this and all subsequent meetings to purely military matters related to Korea only,

c. Cessation of hostilities and of acts of armed force in Korea under conditions which will assure against resumption of hostilities and acts of armed force in Korea for an indefinite period,

d. Agreement on a demilitarized zone across Korea,

e. Composition, authority and functions of Military Armistice Commission,

f. Agreement on principle of unrestricted inspection within Korea by military observer teams, functioning under Military Armistice Commission,

g. Composition and functions of these teams,

h. Arrangements pertaining to prisoners of war.

1. Vice Adm. C. Turner Joy was Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Far East.
2. Maj. Gen. Henry I. Hodes was Deputy Chief of Staff. U.S. Eighth Army; Maj. Gen. Laurence C. Craigie was Vice Commander, U.S. Far East Air Forces; Rear Adm. Arleigh A. Burke was Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Naval Forces, Far East; and Maj. Gen. Paik Sun Yup was Commanding General, I Corps, Republic of Korea Army.