795.00/8—1452
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant
Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs (Hickerson)
1
secret
[
Washington
,] August 14,
1952.
Subject:
- General Assembly Action in the Event of Continued Inconclusive
Armistice Negotiations in Korea.
Participants:
- Mr. F. S. Tomlinson—British
Embassy
- Mr. John D.
Hickerson—UNA
- Mr. U. Alexis
Johnson—FE
- Mr. Ward P. Allen—EUR
- Mr. David H. Popper—UNP
Mr. Tomlinson came in at my
request. I handed him copies of the Working Paper on General Assembly
Action in the Event of Continued Inconclusive Armistice Negotiations in
Korea, explaining that this was a staff paper not yet seen by the
Secretary, although the Secretary was familiar with its general nature.
I stressed our desire to consult with the United Kingdom, the four
Dominions with troops in Korea, and the French on this subject2 before our
position was firmed up, in order that we could have the benefit of their
views at the earliest possible stage. I also emphasized the importance
of not mentioning the contents of this paper to representatives of other
countries until, at a later date, we were able to extend the scope of
our preliminary negotiations.
I pointed out that we had concluded that if we did not ourselves take the
initiative in bringing up the Korean problem at the forthcoming Assembly
session, the Soviets would undoubtedly do so. We therefore thought that
we should propose action along the lines covered by this paper. We were
not proposing in the paper that anything be done which went beyond what
we have ourselves already put into effect. We could not pretend that the
steps proposed in the paper would in themselves produce an armistice,
but they might constitute an increment of pressure upon the Communists
which would help to tip the balance in favor of an armistice.
Mr. Tomlinson stated that he would
transmit the paper at once to London and that he would prefer to reserve
detailed comment until he had his Foreign Office’s views. He could
forecast, however, one reaction: that London would feel that the
preservation of Hong Kong was of greatest importance to the free world
and that the steps indicated in the paper would place Hong Kong in an
untenable position, unable to carry on the trade with China necessary to
provide foodstuffs for the one million Chinese refugees in the Colony.
We agreed that this was one of the problems which must be faced.
[Page 454]
I told Mr. Tomlinson that, in the
absence of Mr. Johnson and myself
on leave, Mr. Sandifer and other
officers would be glad to discuss the British comments on this paper.
Early next week we expected to give the same group of six states another
paper based on the assumption that an armistice would be concluded by
the time the General Assembly meets.3
[Attachment 1]
Working Paper on United Nations General Assembly
Action in the Event of Continued Inconclusive Armistice
Negotiations
Recommendations
- 1.
- The General Assembly should take action early in the Seventh
Session along the following lines:
- a.
- The first step should be to seek passage of a General
Assembly resolution which would:
- i.
- Express the full support of the General
Assembly for the gallant efforts of the United
Nations troops in Korea;
- ii.
- Express full confidence in and approval of the
conduct of the armistice negotiations by the
United Nations Command;
- iii.
- Approve the position taken by the United
Nations Command in regard to the question of
repatriation of prisoners of war and call upon the
North Korean and Chinese Communist authorities to
accept an honorable armistice which recognizes the
principle of non-forcible repatriation;
- iv.
- Request the President of the General Assembly
to transmit this resolution to the North Korean
and Chinese Communist authorities and to report to
the General Assembly within——days on any reply
received or on the absence of such a reply.
- b.
- Upon receipt of a negative report from the President
of the General Assembly the Additional Measures
Committee should meet immediately for the purpose of
recommending additional measures to the General
Assembly. The Additional Measures Committee should
recommend the imposition of a total embargo. (For
detailed recommendations see annex.)
- c.
- After the Additional Measures Committee has made its
recommendation to the General Assembly, the Assembly
should adopt a resolution which:
- i.
- Condemns the aggressors in Korea for their
continued refusal to accept an honorable armistice
in accordance with United Nations
principles;
- ii.
- Reaffirms the determination of the United
Nations to continue its action in Korea to meet
the aggression and to restore international peace
and security in the area;
- iii.
- Urges upon all states the need to increase and
intensify assistance to the United Nations action
in Korea and in particular to contribute
additional forces to the Unified Command;
- iv.
- Calls upon all states and authorities to
refrain from giving any further assistance to the
aggressors in Korea;
- v.
- Recommends that all states sever, limit or
refuse to enter into diplomatic relations with the
aggressors in Korea;
- vi.
- Approves the report and recommendations of the
Additional Measures Committee;
- vii.
- Recommends that all states take the following
action recommended by the Additional Measures
Committee. (For detailed recommendations see annex
1, Economic Embargo.);
- viii.
- Requests that Member States and other
cooperating states report to the Additional
Measures Committee within 30 days on measures
taken to implement the present resolution;
- ix.
- Directs the Additional Measures Committee to
report to the General Assembly with
recommendations as appropriate, and, at its
discretion when the General Assembly is not in
session, to the members, on the manner in which
these states are implementing the measures
recommended;
- x.
- Reaffirms that it continues to be the policy
of the United Nations to bring about a cessation
of hostilities in Korea in accordance with United
Nations principles and the achievement of United
Nations objectives in Korea by peaceful
means.
- 2.
- Obviously an agreement should be reached on the plan outlined
in recommendation 1 above in its entirety, before General
Assembly consideration of the first phase of that plan.
- 3.
- If at the time of the opening of the Seventh Session there are
clear and immediate prospects of agreement upon an armistice in
the immediate future and negotiations are at such a stage that
discussion in the General Assembly might prejudice the outcome,
the General Assembly should postpone the consideration of the
Korean question until a more propitious time.
Annex 1
Recommendation for Action by
Additional Measures Committee on an Economic Embargo
The General Assembly might recommend that every state prohibit all
direct or indirect exports, re-exports, trans-shipments to, and
imports from, Communist China and North Korea, and impose the
following ancillary controls:
- 1.
- Prohibit vessels and aircraft of its registry from
proceeding to Communist China or North Korea.
- 2.
- Prohibit the use of free ports within its territorial
jurisdiction for the trans-shipment of any goods to or from
Communist China or North Korea.
- 3.
- Prohibit the sale or charter of vessels and aircraft to
the Chinese Communist regime or to the North Korean
authorities, or to their nationals, or to any person or
entity acting for them.
- 4.
- Deny bunkering and port facilities to vessels owned or
controlled by the Chinese Communists or North Koreans, and
to vessels of any nationality believed to be proceeeding to
or from Communist China or North Korean ports.
- 5.
- Prohibit the insurance or reinsurance within its
territorial jurisdiction of vessels included in paragraph 4
and of all cargoes destined to or proceeding from Communist
China or North Korea.
- 6.
- Block all assets and sterilize all gold resources of the
Communist Chinese and North Korean regimes and of persons
subject to their control; suspend all payments to these
regimes or to persons subject to their control; prohibit
loans, credits, and capital flotations likely to benefit
these regimes or persons subject to their control.
