501.BB Korea/2–2448: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in India 1
us urgent
niact
117. According to Indian Delegation IC Indian Govt misunderstands exact US position re Korean issue now being discussed. Menon states Indian Delegation requested instructions allowing it support US position which is that UN Korean Commission should observe elections in that part of Korea accessible to it for a national assembly, the members of which may establish a national government of Korea. According to Menon Indian Govt replied that US position as outlined by AmEmbassy is that US wished elections for an assembly and government for south Korea alone and that as Indian Govt could not agree to this Indian Delegation would not be instructed to support US position.
Please see appropriate officials at once and state that US Delegate IC in speech this morning will take following position:
In view of US it is “open to” and indeed “incumbent upon” UN Korean Commission under Resolution of GA which appointed it to proceed with its task quickly and comprehensively and that following course of action would be in accordance with letter and spirit of GA Resolution; Korean Commission should proceed in consultation with the Occupation authorities who are ready to assist them, to decide on election law and procedures, designate voting areas or zones and fix date on which elections will be held, announce purpose of elections to choose representatives who will constitute a national assembly of [Page 1128] Korea with whom the Commission may consult regarding prompt attainment of freedom: and independence of Korean people and which representatives may establish a national government of Korea. It will be suggested that due to small size of Commission and its staff elections might be observed seriatim in the several areas or zones beginning in southern provinces and working north. If it should prove impossible for observation of elections to be continued north of 38th parallel result would nevertheless be that two-thirds of Korean people would have elected their proportional share of the members of a Korean national assembly and the one-third who would be denied the opportunity to seat their representatives would know where the blame lay. A Korean national assembly however would exist even if all its seats were not filled and the government established by that assembly would then as contemplated in the GA Resolution be in a position to consult further with the Commission concerning the implementation of the remaining provisions of the Resolution. US Delegation will submit to IC a draft Resolution embodying these ideas.
The ultimate objective of the US in Korea is the establishment of a unified and independent nation under a sovereign and democratic government. The US does not favor the perpetuation of the arbitrary division of the country at the 38th parallel, and hopes and believes that any governing authority which may result from UN intermediation, although perhaps established at the outset only in south Korea, will prove to be a force for the unification rather than for the division of the country.
Dept earnestly hopes Indian Delegation may be instructed to support US position.2
- Repeated to USUN, New York as 82.↩
- Telegram 158, February 26, 11 a. m., from New Delhi, reported that the Indian delegation at the UN had been instructed to follow a policy “in substance” the same as that proposed by the U.S. Government (501.BB Korea/2–2648). Records of the Interim Committee are found on microprint in IO files, and records of conversations between the U.S. and other delegations on IC relating to Korea are found under US/A/AC 18 of IO files.↩