Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Korea, Volume XV, Part 1

FE files, lot 55 D 128, tab 88

The Joint Chiefs of Staff to the Commander in Chief Far East (Ridgway)¹

secret
operational immediate

Washington, February 27, 1952—6:38 p.m.

JCS 902160. From JCS. Reur CX 64343 [64342].²

1. You are authorized to make it entirely clear to Commies that UNC refusal to accept Soviet Union as a member of Neutral Supervisory Commission is absolutely firm and irrevocable. There is no propaganda problem in regard to our position on this question. Therefore, we consider amplication of basis for UNC rejection of Soviet Union not necessary beyond that required to make it clear to Commie Del that UNC position this regard is entirely firm.

2. We believe that a position along the fol lines might be set forth by the UNC Del at your discretion if you believe agreement can be advanced thereby. The UNC initially proposed that inspection teams be composed of the belligerents of both sides. This proposal was rejected by the Communists. The Communist proposal for neutral supervisory agency consisting of neutral nations acceptable to both sides was accepted by UNC, but the Communists failed to comply with the terms of their own proposal. As a solution, the UNC could propose that an armistice supervisory organ and inspection teams be constituted to consist of nations selected by each side regardless of their combatant status in the Korean hostilities. UNC Del should make clear that under this proposal it would feel free to select any countries participating in hostilities under UNC, which would include the US and Commies would have similar rights to include USSR.

1. This telegram was initialed in draft by Truman; draft copy is in file 795.00/2–2752.
2. Not printed, but see footnote 2 p. 67.