Office of the Historian

FE files, lot 55 D 128: Telegram

The Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief Far East (Clark)

top secret
operational immediate
Washington, July 11, 1952—5:47 p.m.

JCS 913383. From JCS.

1.
Action you propose in para 6 C 517801 is approved with understanding that method of presentation to Communists of new round number of persons to be repatriated as outlined in part 1 CX 514892 should be modified as follows:
A.
Number of persons in each category should be presented only as factual tabulation of results of completed UN screening. FYI this approach will keep open possibility that there may be some increase in total repatriated as result of some form of post armistice interrogation.
B.
In reiterating proposals to permit individual interviews of nonrepatriates ref should be made to an “impartial” rather than to a “neutral” agency because of precedent established by our having accepted Poland and Czechoslovakia as “neutrals” in Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission. Use of word “impartial” would appear give us greater negotiating latitude in arriving at an agency or group of countries more acceptable to us for this purpose than one in which there is satellite participation.
2.
Decision on part 2 CX 51489 is being withheld pending development of Communist reaction to foregoing presentation and outcome of discussions between you and Gen Collins.
3.
There have been no further significant developments through channels3 referred to in JCS 911932.4
  1. Supra.↩
  2. Dated July 7, p. 380.↩
  3. The reference is to Government of India-People’s Republic of China channels.↩
  4. Dated June 23, p. 347.↩