Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 162: Telegram
The Commander in Chief, Far East (Ridgway) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
operational immediate
C–06027.1 For info, CINCUNC Adv msg HNC 668.
“1. Sub-committee on item nbr 4 convened 1100, December 27. Lee opened with a long statement which included the following points:
- “(1) Since 11 December Communists have been proposing release of all POWs.
- “(2) For 16 days UNC had evaded discussing this principle.
- “(3) Consequently, UNC is responsible for lack of agreement on agenda item nbr 4 within 30 days after agreement on item nbr 2.
- “(4) UNC refused to discuss 11 December principle, first under pretext of no military advantage, and then that exchange of data and ICRC visits were prerequisites to discussion.
- “(5) Although the data was not necessary to the discussion of the principle Communists, to break the deadlock, exchange data on 18 December.
- “(6) Communist data was complete and detailed, whereas UNC data consisted only of names spelled in English.
- “(7) Communists did not refuse to discuss the principle on grounds of incomplete data.
- “(8) However, UNC develops further pretexts to avoid the principle, thus preventing progress on item nbr 4.
- “(9) On pretext that UNC MIA exceeds POW held by Communists, UNC refuses to release and repatriate all POWs.
- “(10) There is no established relationship between MIA and POW’s held by the other side.
- “(11) Communists policy of release at front results in a smaller POW list.
- “(12) UNC claims released POW have not returned home. This only proves that those who have been forced into the war will not ‘go to the drag again’ once they have obtained liberty.
- “(13) UNC submitted 1000 names for further information. In large part this has been provided. Further investigation is being made.
- “(14) UNC should explain discrepancy of 1456 between recap and names submitted on its list.
- “(15) ICRC shows 44,205 POW who cannot be found on 18 December data.
- “(16) Personnel should be released on basis of Army they belong to, not on the basis of residence.
- “(17) It is intolerable that UNC openly says it will retain 37,000 of the 18 December list.
- “(18) In order to speed the release of all POW’s the original proposal is resubmitted.
“b UNC replied as follows: As to delay on item nbr 4, Communists refused for two weeks to form a sub-committee on this item. Thereafter, they delay 8 days in providing the data necessary to discuss the item. With respect to the reply on the 1000 names, Communists report 726 killed, died, escaped or released. UNC requests:
- “(1) The names of the POW’s who were allegedly killed; the date on which each POW was killed, where he was killed and where he is buried.
- “(2) The date on which POW allegedly escaped; the place of internment from which he escaped.
- “(3) The date and place where each POW was released.
- “(4) The names of POW who allegedly died of disease; the date, and place, and place of burial.
“As a general comment on Communist principle just reintroduced, it proposes not the release of all POW’s, as claimed, but the release of all [Page 1457] POWs less approximately 50,000 who remain unaccounted for. Until the accounting is made the proposal is not a suitable basis for discussion of exchange of POWs. UNO is now forced to digress from agenda item nbr 4 due to a statement in General Lee’s official communication of 26 December.2 UNC has no desire to turn conference into a political forum. After making point, UNC proposes to drop the matter as irrelevant to agenda item nbr 4 discussion, provided Communists will do likewise.
“In Communist letter dated 26 December they made a reference to ‘Syngman Rhee’s Government.’ By this it is assumed they meant the Government of the ROK. UNC then called Communists to account for slurring reference to Government of South Korea.
“UNC then asked if CPV, as distinct from KPA, held or had transported any POWs into China.
“c. General Lee responded with a statement which included the following: Concerning the origin of the so-called ‘Syngman Rhee’ Government, the Korean people themselves know which is the true regime for the people and which is the regime which oppresses the people. As for its recognition, that government was born by the instigation of a certain state through the voting machine of that state. In these negotiations who is the other party and under what flags are the negotiations being carried on? Neither the KPA nor the CPV have any POW abroad.
“d. UNC then again called Communists to account for their discourtesy.
“11. Reconvened 1500. Throughout the afternoon session the UNC pressed for an accounting for the ‘50,000 men’ who were at one time prisoners of the Communists, in conjunction with the thesis that, in the absence of such an accounting, the Communist proposal of an all-for-all exchange is not an honest effort to reach a solution to agenda item nbr 4. Sig Joy.”