Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 59: Telegram
The Commander in Chief, United Nations Command ( Ridgway ) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
flash
HNC–063. Reference my HNC 055 and my HNC 060. United Nations Liaison Officer landed Pan Mun Jom 120730 July 1951 to [Page 664] receive the answer of the Communist Delegation on the question of the presence of press at the meeting on 12 July. The Communist Liaison Officer stated: “I have been instructed by our Senior Delegate to inform you formally with regard to the question of correspondents that we are in favor of having newsmen from both sides come to Kaesong at the opportune time. When agreement is reached on our negotiations we shall welcome newsmen to come here to do their press coverage. We wish that we could state a definite date and we hope that such a date will arrive very soon but this depends on the efforts made by both sides during the conference and cannot be determined by our side alone.” My Liaison Officer replied as follows: “Due to the fact that radio communications would not or were not made during last night we have just now at 0730 received your answer. On the assumption that you would not allow the conference to be delayed over the small issue of admitting 20 newsmen to the conference area, we placed our convoy on the road to arrive in time to prepare for the conference at 0900. The convoy includes the 20 newsmen. If you do not wish to resume the conference with newsmen present please refuse the convoy permission to enter. The officer in charge has been directed to return to our lines if you refuse him entrance.”
2. The United Nations Command convoy was halted by the enemy outpost at 120837 July at Pan Mun Jom. The convoy commander requested instructions from me and was instructed to inform the Communist outpost that the convoy would remain in place until 0930 and if at that time all vehicles and personnel were not allowed to pass, the convoy would return. During resulting conversations the enemy outpost commander stated that the convoy could pass if the correspondents remained at the outpost. He further stated that if the correspondents remained at the outpost they might be allowed to pass later after the 2 delegations were in session. At 0930 the convoy commander turned his vehicles around and returned to the base camp arriving at 1038.
3. I have instructed Admiral Joy to dispatch the following message to the Senior Communist delegate by Liaison Officer:
- “(1) At 0930, 12 July 1951, my motor convoy, proceeding along the Munsan-Kaesong Road, bearing personnel desired by me at the conference site, was refused passage past your control point by your armed guards at that point.
- “(2) I have ordered this convoy to return to the United Nations lines.
- “(3) I am prepared to return with my delegation and continue the discussions which were recessed yesterday, upon notification from [Page 665] you that my convoy, bearing the personnel of my choosing, including such press representation as I consider necessary, will be cleared to the conference site.”
The Liaison Officer carrying this message arrived Kaesong at 1104, 12 July and has not yet returned.
4. Message contained in Para 3 above has been released to press.