Lot 55D128: Black Book, Tab 23: Telegram
The Commander in Chief, Far East (Ridgway) to the Joint Chiefs of Staff
operational immediate
CINCUNC Adv HNC 372. “Summary of Liaison Officers Meeting Which Began at 1100 Today.
“Following a sharp blast Chang accepted 3 mile compromise and presented following proposed agreement and understandings:
“Agreement between liaison officers on matters concerning resumption of conference by the delegations.
“1. The specific site at which the conference of the delegations will be resumed in the vicinity of Pan Mun Jom is indicated on the attached map.
“2. The conference site area is a circular area having a radius of 1000 yards centered on the conference site as shown on the attached map.
“3. No hostile acts of any kind shall be carried out by any armed force of either side, including all regular and irregular elements and armed personnel of the ground, naval and air forces, against the conference site area as defined above.
“4. Except for the military police provided for below, no armed personnel of either side is permitted in the conference site area. Designated officers of both sides shall be jointly responsible for the security and preservation of order within the conference site area. Each side will provide a military police detachment of 2 officers and 15 men to [Page 1056] assist in the performance of these duties while the delegation parties are present. The military police will only carry small arms, namely pistols, rifles and carbines. During periods when the delegation parties are not present, 1 officer and 5 men of the military police from each side will be stationed in the conference site area.
“5. Both delegations and their parties, the composition of which shall be decided by themselves respectively, shall have free access to, and free movement within the Pan Mun Jom conference site area.
“6. Physical facilities and communication and administrative arrangements with respect to the negotiations and the conference site area will be as agreed upon by the liaison officers of both sides. The delegation of the Korean People’s Army and the Chinese People’s Volunteers will be responsible for providing a suitable joint facility for use as a meeting place of the delegations and for the arrangements within the conference room. Except for this installation, each delegation will provide its own facilities.
“7. All armed forces of both sides, including all regular and irregular elements and armed personnel of the ground, naval and air forces, shall refrain from hostile acts of any kind against the circular area having a radius of 3 miles centered on the traffic circle at Kaesong, against the camp area of the United Nations Command Delegation contained within a circle having a radius of 3 miles centered as indicated on the attached map, and against the area of 1 mile to either side of the Kaesong-Pan Mun Jom-Munsan Road (as indicated on the attached map).
“8. The date and time for completion of the conference of the delegations will be determined by agreement between the liaison officers of both sides.
“Col. A. J. Kinney, Senior Liaison Officer, United Nations Command Delegation.
“Col. Chang Chun San, Senior Liaison Officer, Delegation of the Korean People’s Army and the Chinese People’s Volunteers. “Pan Mun Jom, Korea October, 1951.
“The liaison officers of both sides mutually understand that
“1. The term ‘armed forces of both sides’ in the agreement includes only the armed units and armed personnel under the control of or inspired by either side.
“2. Investigation of reported violations of agreements shall be conducted as has been the practice of the liaison officers in the past.
“3. Agreements reached between the liaison officers on matters concerning the resumption of the armistice conference by the delegations will be the draft of the related part of the agreement of overall [Page 1057] arrangements to be stipulated by the delegations for the entire duration of the armistice negotiations.
“4. All previous security agreements and agreements regarding the Kaesong conference site area and neutral zone are superseded by the agreement of security arrangements for the entire duration of the armistice negotiations when the latter agreement is stipulated by the delegations of both sides.”
“Differences now narrowed to two. First, Communists want exemption from attack 1 mile on each side of road to conference site as opposed to UNC position road only exempt. Second, Communists contend overflight is a hostile act and want us to agree not to overfly restricted areas. Estimate face saving offer from us will bring about agreement. Propose to state that we will not enter into agreement not to overfly, but we will restrict the flight of our aircraft over the restricted areas as much as practicable. The overflight of aircraft harms no one and in the absence of an agreement has no significance whatever. The existence of an agreement would leave the Communists no choice but to report a violation in the case of each entry of aircraft. Thus, the unnecessary agreement would serve as a potential source of embarrassment to the conference. With respect to the road, we propose to make a formal offer that exemption from attack be extended to an area within 200 meters on each side of the road. We will not call this a corridor, but merely a definition of the road area. Meeting will resume tomorrow at 1000I”.
Authority granted Adm Joy to implement proposal contained in last paragraph.