Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 4: Telegram
The Commander in Chief, United Nations Command (Ridgway) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
C–52616. Subj is summary of liaison officers meeting today. Party arrived Panmunjom at 1000. Met at check point by Communist liaison officers who were accompanied by press corps and other military personnel, all in winter uniforms. Communists had erected large conference tent in field across the road from check point (houses at BI 951033). Chang opened meeting proposing following agenda items: Facilities, selection of site, time and date of resumption of talks. Murray added item security arrangements. Chang presented proposals for “provisional arrangements” for resumption of conference which follow: “Memorandum to the liaison officers of the United Nations Command Delegation.
“1. The date and time for the resumption of the conference of the delegations is to be discussed and determined by the liaison officers of both sides.
“2. The specific site where the conference of the delegations will be resumed in the vic of Panmunjom is to be discussed and decided on the spot by the liaison officers of both sides.
“3. Provisional arrangements for the resumption of the conference of the delegations: A circular area with Panmunjom bridge as center and half a mile as radius, to be kept free from all armed personnel; the United Nations Command shall be responsible for the sector east [Page 1012] of Panmunjom Bridge (taking the Sanchon River crossed by Panmunjom bridge as the dividing line), and the Korean Peoples Army and the Chinese Peoples Volunteers shall be responsible for the sector west of Panmunjom bridge. Order in the conference site area, outside of the conference site itself, to be maintained by unarmed personnel of either side respectively. Order in the conference site to be maintained jointly by a small nbr of unarmed personnel of both sides.
“4. Tents and facilities for the site of the resumed conference of the delegations will be provided, and the conference room arranged, by the Korean People’s Army and the Chinese Peoples Volunteers.”
Murray stated these generally acceptable, but that details of para 3 would be dependent upon exact locations selected for facilities and proposed that the meeting be adjourned to the bridge to view the terrain. Both parties followed by press walked from conf area to bridge (apprx ½ mile). Murray attempted to arouse interest in placing conference tent at center of zone proposed by Communists i.e. the center of the bridge with delegations using areas at end of bridge. Response largely negative.
Parties returned to tent and resumed. Murray expressed willingness to accept site preferred by Communists for conference tent, but only if center of circle defining zone was placed on the spot. Murray agreed to permit Communists to be responsible for conference tent but that UNC delegation would provide its own separate facilities. Murray then stated UNC also had proposals to make on matters pertaining to resumption of armistice negotiations and read the following: “Proposed agreement on matters pertaining to resumption of armistice negotiations in the vic of Panmunjom. The following agreement on matters pertaining to the resumption of armistice negotiations in the vic of Panmunjom is entered into by both delegations:
“1. As used herein, ‘the Panmunjom Conference area’ is defined as a circular area having a radius of about 1,000 yrds centered on the conference meeting place. No armed personnel except military police as agreed upon below are to be permitted in the conf area.
“2. The forces of both sides will refrain from acts of armed forces:
- “a. Within the Panmunjom conf area.
- “b. Along the Munsan-Ni Panmunjom-Kaesong road as indicated on attached map.
- “c. Against the UNC delegation camp area at Munsan-Ni and against the city of Kaesong, as indicated on the attached map.
“3. Both delegations and their parties shall have free access and free movement to and within the Panmunjom conf area.
“4. Designated officers of both sides will be jointly responsible for the security and preservation of order within the conference area while the delegation party is present. Each side will provide a military police detachment of 2 off and 15 men to assist in the performance of these duties. Military police will be armed with small arms only.
[Page 1013]“5. It is recognized that each side is responsible for the protection of its delegation party from partisan activity enroute to and from the conf area and within its own lines.
“6. All previous security agreements, and agreements regarding the Kaesong conf area and neutral zone are rescinded and superseded by the foregoing security provisions.
“7. The physical facilities, and communication and administrative arrangements, with respect to the negotiations and the conference area will be as agreed upon by the liaison officers of both sides.
“8. The composition of the delegation party of each side shall be as decided by the senior delegate of that delegation.
“9. The right to conduct complete and unrestricted investigation at the location of reported violations of the above agreements shall be accorded designated representatives from each side. Their reports will be submitted to their respective delegations.”
This brought to the fore the fundamental difference in the interpretation of the phrase “matter concerning the resumption of negotiations by our respective delegations” as used by the Communist and UNC Commanders in their letters of 7 and 8 Oct and the resulting difference in the instructions held by their Liaison Officers. Chang sought to bring about agreement on those provisional arrangements necessary to bring the delegations together. Murray stated that the UNC proposal contained those matters which were related to the resumption of the negotiations and which must be determined prior to the meeting of the delegates. Communists cited Kim-Peng letter of 9 Oct as having a bearing on the terms of reference of this meeting. Murray stated letter only received this morning and he unfamiliar with contents. Murray stated he was present under instructions based upon exchange of letters ending with General Ridgway’s letter of eighth. On the basis of these instructions he had presented CINCUNC proposal on conditions which must be agreed upon before negotiations could be resumed. Since other side unprepared to consider these matters he proposed a recess to permit each side study proposal and secure additional guidance. Chang agreed. After lengthy and repetitious discussion of scope of liaison meeting both sides arose. Chang, referring to copy of UNC proposed agreement and map which had been handed him by Col Murray during conference indicated that he would not accept them and said, “If you leave these here someone will pick them up.” Murray replied that the proposals contained therein were already a matter of record and that the sheet handed him was merely confirmatory (true in the case of the agreement, but not the map). Chang still refused to accept the agreement or the map on the grounds that proposals contained therein exceeded scope of meeting. Discussion became animated. At this point there was a significant development. Without looking at Col Chang, Lt Col Tsai stepped [Page 1014] forward from his seat at the table and with a conciliatory tone and manner stated, among other things, that there was no objection on their part to accepting the subj papers and then put them into his folder. As Chang stood silently by the table Lt Col Tsai courteously escorted Col Murray to the door of the tent.
With Communist approval all UNC equipment ‘was removed from Kaesong to Munsan today with the exception of one tent which was erected at the east end of the Panmunjom Bridge.
For your information, Lt Col Tsai is Chinese; we attach some significance to his actions during todays meeting of the Liaison Officers.
Liaison meetings will resume at 111000I.