FE files, lot 55 D 128: Telegram
The United States Representative at the United Nations (Austin) to the Department of State
202. Re: Korea POW issue. Following communication and enclosure received yesterday from SYG Lie:
Verbatim Text:
“I have the honour to enclose herewith a communication from His Excellency Ambassador Luis Padilla Nervo, permanent representative of Mexico to the United Nations. I should be grateful to you for bringing this letter to the attention of the proper authorities in the Unified Command.”
Enclosure:
“Mr. Secretary General:
“I have the honor to inform you that His Excellency Miguel Aleman, President of the United Mexican States, voicing the sentiments of the people of Mexico, who deplore the necessity of prolonging the military campaign in Korea, has instructed me through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to transmit to you a plan which in the view of my government may contribute to remove an issue that, so far as we have been able to determine, is the obstacle to the signing of a truce in that region, namely, the exchange of prisoners of war.
“My government’s proposal, reduced to its essential terms but susceptible of being modified in the light of the opinions of the other members of the United Nations might follow the general lines set forth below:
“The prisoners of war held by either party who may have voluntarily expressed their wish to be repatriated would be exchanged without delay.
“As regards the others, each member of the United Nations that signifies its approval of this plan would pledge itself to receive in its territory a number of said prisoners in the ratio that might be agreed upon with the understanding that, once in the country of temporary asylum, the corresponding authorities would grant them an immigration status that would allow them to find work so as not to become public charges.
“As soon as normalcy returns to said part of the Asiatic Continent, the government of their respective countries of origin would grant the prisoner the facilities and assurances that might be required for their immediate repatriation. Said governments would proceed in a similar way in the case of those prisoners that, without the fulfilment of the condition stated above, would later express their willingness to return to their countries of origin, in which case the United Nations would afford them the necessary means to carry out their wishes.
“The Mexican Government is not unmindful of the fact that should this plan be accepted, the States approving it would bind themselves to make certain sacrifices; but these certainly would not be excessive if, through them, a firm step could be taken to facilitate the suspension of hostilities.
“To the foregoing objectives, which by themselves are sufficiently important to warrant their careful consideration, another should be added, namely, that of raising the social status of the prisoners by [Page 486] restoring to them the dignity that only free labor can bestow. At the same time, a contribution to the progress of international law might be made by reaffirming the principle that prisoners of war are not to be treated as just a conglomeration of human beings whose fate the authorities may decide at will, but on the contrary, that man’s inalienable right to freely work out his own destiny should prevail. Finally, if the plan herein submitted leads to an effective agreement, it would strengthen the confidence of the peoples of the world—including the prisoners of war in Korea who have refused repatriation—in the universal scope of the cause of the United Nations and in the solidarity of the members of this organization.
“I shall, therefore, sincerely appreciate your transmitting this plan to the competent organ of the United Nations.
“I avail myself, (etc.) …”1 Sgd. Padilla Nervo.
End Verbatim Text
Mexican note had previously been handed to Gross by Padilla Nervo who said he was giving it shortly to SYGLie. He said he gave it to us in advance on theory SYG would forward if to US as UC. Padilla said same text being handed to Secretary in Washington by Mex Amb.
We wld appreciate Dept’s views as to response to SYG2 and to Padilla Nervo.
- Ellipsis in the source text.↩
- In telegram 119 to New York, Sept. 17, 1952, the Department of State instructed the U.S. Mission at the United Nations to inform the Secretary-General that the U.S. Government welcomed the Mexican proposal, which was designed to help bring about an armistice in accordance with UN principles. The Department of State also suggested that the mission privately inform Padilla Nervo that the U.S. Government was pleased to note that the Mexican proposal supported the basic UNC position against forcible repatriation of prisoners of war, and that it would give the proposal serious consideration (695A.0024/9–352).↩