740.00119 Control (Korea)/8–1247: Telegram
Lieutenant General John R. Hodge to the Secretary of State
271. Zurc 1018. Fifty-third meeting of Joint Commission held on 12th August. General Brown chairman. Soviet delegation had no proposals. [Page 752] US delegation then made modification of proposal outlined in Zurc 945, Seoul PolAd 234 of July 25. Text of this new proposal is as follows:
“The American delegation, mindful of the solemn obligations of its Government under the Moscow agreement and conscious of its duty to the Korean people to establish as early as possible provisional Korean democratic government, makes the following proposals to overcome the present impasse regarding consultations:
- (1)
- Individual oral consultation as specified in paragraph 7 Joint Commission decision number 12 will be dispensed with and the questionnaires submitted by Korean political parties and social organizations shall be accepted as consultation under the Moscow agreement.
- (2)
- Directive to be issued to Subcommission number 2 to complete and present to the Joint Commission a provisional charter and political platform for the provisional Korean democratic government. This charter to specify which offices are appointive and which are elective.
- (3)
- The Joint Commission shall in the charter proposed to the Four Powers include a provision for an immediate general election to elect a national legislature and such other individuals of the government the charter may specify, which election shall be held with free electioneering, secret and multi-party ballots, under international supervision. That Subcommission number 2 be directed to prepare detailed plans for such a general election in North and South Korea to be presented to the Four Powers with the proposed charter.
- (4)
- That Subcommission number 3 be directed to prepare a plan for the selection of appointive personnel for the integration of the existing governmental functions of North and South Korea.”
Soviet delegation expressed interest and asked many questions, some possibly designed to precommit American delegation on implementation of its terms. Soviet delegation will express views in next meeting which it will call when ready. This apparently indicates reference to Moscow for instructions.