320/1–1254: Telegram
The Ambassador in India (Allen) to the Department of State
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1094. Repeated information London 190, niact Tokyo 75, Seoul 46. Tokyo for CINCUNC. Seoul for Young and Taylor.
Pillai asked me to come to see him today to discuss UNGA session. He said Prime Minister Nehru had asked him to talk with me to urge our support for February 9 date.
[Page 1719]I repeated my personal opinion that US decision would depend on prior arrangements re POWs. Pillai then said, entirely for my “personal information and not to be reported” that GOI was in most difficult possible position with Chinese over this question. He said Chinese anger at Indians over termination of explanations and roll call of POWs was “as nothing compared with their fury over release of POWs January 22”. He declared GOI would not weaken in its determination to turn POWs loose, no matter what Chinese said or did, but he hoped we would cooperate by agreeing to start receiving POWs January 20, so that by midnight January 22 only handful who had chosen neutral destination would be left in Indian hands.
I said I had already expressed personal opinion to Krishna Menon that we would not wish to receive POWs before January 23 since this would make us party to armistice violation. He said beginning of turn over January 20 would be merely mechanical arrangement since 22,000 could not easily be delivered on one short winter day whereas three days would be sufficient. I said if arrangement was clearly for mechanical convenience, I supposed we could receive them January 20, 21 and 22 as well as 23, 24, 25. He pleaded for earlier dates because he feared mass breakout January 23.
Comment: I believe we can rely on GOI decision to release POWs to us January 20 and 22. Pillai referred again to Nehru’s horror lest CFI might have to shoot rioting POWs. I hope Department will agree now to accept POWs January 20–22 and consequently to support GA session February 9.