320/11–852: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Department of State
Delga 151. Following is text of draft res referred to in Delga 150,1 which represents views of Ambassador Gross and delegation staff as to how far we can and should be prepared to go to meet views of Menon and others if tactical situation requires. Such paragraphs could be incorporated into twenty-one-power resolution by amendment, or added as supplementary or separate resolution which we could support. We have not yet had opportunity to show it to Secretary but hope to do so later today.
“The General Assembly…
- “1. Decides in accordance with international law and practice including the Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War of 1949, that promptly upon the conclusion of an armistice in Korea, all prisoners of war on both sides should be released and given an unrestricted opportunity to be repatriated; no force is to be used to prevent or to compel the repatriation of any prisoner.
- “2. Calls upon the negotiators at Panmunjom as a matter of
urgency to conclude an armistice agreement which would:
- “A. Provide for the prompt release and repatriation of prisoners of war within an agreed fixed period and on the basis set forth in paragraph 1 of this resolution,
- “B. Establish an (impartial) commission on
repatriation of prisoners of war which should:
- “(1) Receive at agreed exchange points in neutral territory all prisoners of war. All prisoners of war are to be released to the commission by both sides, in groups of appropriate size.
- “(2) Determine the disposition of all prisoners of war in accordance with the provisions of the armistice agreement and of this resolution, and assure such disposition.
- “(3) Following the completion of the process set forth in the preceding sub-paragraph, assist both sides in assuring for all prisoners of war humanitarian care and the opportunity to return to peaceful pursuits in accordance with the principles of the United Nations.
- “3. Notes, from the report of the Unified Command (A/2228,
Annex A),2 that the negotiators at Panmunjom have
tentatively agreed to the following recommendation:
“‘In order to insure the peaceful settlement of the Korean question, the military commanders of both sides hereby recommend to the governments of the countries concerned on both sides, that, within three months after the armistice agreement is signed and becomes effective, a political conference of a higher level of both sides be held by representatives appointed respectively to settle through negotiation the questions of the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Korea, the peaceful settlement of the Korean question, etc.’
- “4. Decides that upon the coming into effect of the armistice agreement, if the General Assembly is not then in regular session, the Secretary General shall convene a special session of the General Assembly at the headquarters of the United Nations to consider the implementation of such a recommendation.” (End verbatim text).