795.00/9–2850: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in India
niact
468. Reurtel 7881 Bajpai statement that “UK had informed India in confidence that it was agreed among three FMs there wld be no [Page 819] advance beyond 38th parallel until matter had been taken up again in UN”, fol for your background info.
On Sept. 1 agreement was reached by representatives of FMs in preliminary Washington meetings to effect that “UN forces shld not be committed to proceed north of 38th parallel without prior UN direction.2 This wld not preclude tactical operations north of 38th parallel incident to action south of parallel. Future circumstances wld necessarily affect this decision, particularly state of NK forces at time”. Thus this formulation antedated landing in neighborhood Seoul with resultant precipitous deterioration state NK forces.
At Sept. 14 FM meeting Sec noted that UN dels of three countries had been in constant consultation on Korea question and were agreed upon course to be followed in UN.3 FMs passed over question without further discussion, thus neither affirming nor calling into question above formulation.
Dept position which we wld trust fully shared by UK and France is that UN forces have authority enter NK if necessary as military measure to destroy power aggressor and to restore internatl peace and security in area. Dept accordingly believes that in Bajpai’s receipt this info misunderstanding may have arisen re distinction between occupation NK and tactical operations north of 38th parallel.
Re Bajpai statement “original resolution of course related only to return to 38th parallel” Jun 27 res recommended Members furnish to ROK such assistance as may be necessary to repel armed attack and restore internatl peace and security in area only after noting failure NK authorities heed June 25 withdrawal order. This govt wld strongly contend NK authorities since Jun 27 no longer entitled invoke latter.