Lot 54D423
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Robert A. Fearey of the Office of Northeast Asian Affairs
| Participants: | John M. Chang, Korean Ambassador to the United States |
| Ambassador Dulles | |
| Mr. Fearey |
[Here follows a discussion of questions relating to the Korean war.]
Ambassador Chang went on to say that President Rhee had strongly criticized him for the supplicative tone of his recent note1 to the Department on the question of Korean participation in a Japanese peace settlement. President Rhee considers that Korea is entitled to participate as a matter of right, and should not have to plead for its proper place in the negotiations. Ambassador Dulles said that it has always been the U.S. position that Korea should participate, and that he has held as full discussion with the Korean Government regarding the treaty as with most FEC countries. He explained that with the initial discussions with our Allies completed, he had come to Japan to obtain the views of the Japanese Government on the United States seven-point statement of principles, following which he planned to talk again with representatives of the FEC nations, Indonesia, Korea and Ceylon. He said that the procedure of bilateral discussions had been adopted largely in order to deprive certain nations of opportunity to maintain that the North Korean and Chinese Communist regimes, rather than the Republic of Korea and the Chinese National Government, should represent Korea and China in the negotiations, and that the United States would continue to support the right of the ROK to participate in the Japanese peace settlement.
[Here follows a discussion of the offer to Ambassador Chang of the Prime Ministry of Korea.]
- Of January 20, not printed.↩