795.00/4–653
Memorandum by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Johnson) to the Secretary of State1
Subject:
- Negotiations at Panmunjom
At yesterday’s meeting2 the UNC liaison group put forward a detailed proposal for carrying out the exchange of sick and wounded. The Communists appeared to be pressing for an agreement that not only the “seriously wounded and seriously sick” personnel mentioned in Article 109 of the Geneva Convention be exchanged, but the wounded and sick “whose recovery may be expected within one year” which Article 110 of the Geneva Convention provides “may be accommodated in a neutral country.” While it is possible that the Communist intent is that that the later group will be sent to a “neutral country”, it appears more probable their intent is that both groups will be exchanged at Panmunjom. If this proves to be the case, there is no problem as it should insure the return of a larger number of our personnel.
At tonight’s meeting, the UNC liaison group will state that we are prepared to include both groups in the exchange at Panmunjom, and will continue to press the Communists for a figure by nationality of the number they will return. The UNC liaison group is prepared at the proper time to give the figure of 5800 (5100 Korean and 700 Chinese) [Page 878] as covering the total of both categories of sick and wounded to be returned by the UNC. If necessary, the UNC liaison group is prepared to give a percentage breakdown between the two categories of sick and wounded, but hopes to avoid doing so.
As stated to the Communists last night, the UNC is prepared to start delivery of the sick and wounded at Panmunjom within not more than seven days after agreement on exchange procedures is completed, and will deliver such personnel at the rate of approximately 500 a day. This would mean that the UNC will be able to complete delivery of all prisoners held by it, qualified for this exchange, within approximately nineteen days from the time agreement is reached.
Our allies seem to be very pleased with the way the matter is being handled. However, it is evident that it would be very difficult to obtain their acquiescence to not entering into any negotiations on the Chou En-lai proposal until after the exchange of sick and wounded has been completed, if, in fact, agreement on the sick and wounded is reached and implementation started.
As of possible interest, there is attached a copy of a memorandum of conversation with the British Embassy on this subject Saturday.3
No further action or instructions on our part to Clark are required at this time. The foregoing is for your information only.
- This memorandum was routed through Matthews; a marginal notation on the source text indicated that the Secretary of State saw this memorandum.↩
- Because of the 14-hour time difference between Washington and Korea, there was some ambiguity in the reference to the time and date of this meeting. The first Senior Liaison group meeting, to which Johnson referred, took place at Panmunjom at 10 a.m., Korean time, Apr. 6. An account of this meeting can be found in telegram Z 36190, Clark to JCS, Apr. 6, 1953. (Matthews files, lot 53 D 413)↩
- The memorandum was not attached to the source text. A memorandum of a conversation between Johnson and Tomlinson on Saturday, Apr. 4, was filed elsewhere. In it, the British Counselor passed a message from Eden to the Department of State advising flexibility and encouraging the Department to retain the initiative at Panmunjom so that UNC would not give the impression that it was lagging behind the Communists in willingness to reach an armistice. (695.0029/4–453)↩