320/1–2454: Telegram
The Director of the Berlin Element, Office of the United States High Commissioner for Germany (Parkman) to the Department of State
809. Repeated information London 69. Department pass USUN. Limit distribution. From USDel. Secretary1 and Eden discussed reconvening of GA last night. Eden expressed view we were committed to holding resumed session GA.2 Thought some assurances this respect had been given India when they agreed recess regular session end of December. Secretary asked what he thought Assembly would do. Eden thought it would do little except pass resolution expressing appreciation to India and others for their work in handling POWs.
Secretary said he felt it probable they would pass resolution seeking impose their ideas re political conference. Said he saw little prospect of great success from political conference and felt strongly we were not justified in paying large price to get such conference. As such large price cited agreement treat Soviet Union as neutral and without blame in Korean affairs, and elevation India to leading role in Asia. Said he felt majority of GA which has little responsibility might be willing try impose such terms in effort get political conference. Secretary said this might mean open break with US on subject. Said US had on whole discharged its responsibilities satisfactorily. We had obtained armistice. POWs desiring repatriation had been returned. POWs not wanting repatriation had been given their choice. Rhee had not broken armistice and it seemed unlikely Communists would do so. We were spending large sums to develop ROK economy and make it viable. Against this background others having no comparable responsibility were seeking impose their views because they thought it would be “nice” to have political conference. Secretary hoped UK would not play this game.
Eden seemed impressed by presentation and indicated he had not realized there was any such hazard in meeting. Secretary said if he could get assurance GA would limit itself to innocuous action and not attempt impose its views as to terms political conference then he thought no harm would be done. Eden said he would explore situation and let Secretary know further views.
- Dulles arrived in Berlin on Jan. 23 for the Berlin Conference at which the Foreign Ministers of France, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States met, Jan. 24–Feb. 18, to discuss questions concerning Korea, Indochina, Germany, Austria, European security, and disarmament. Full documentation on the Conference is presented in volume vii.↩
- In telegram Tosec 21 to HICOG Berlin, Jan. 22, the U.S. Delegation to the Berlin Conference was informed that the British, and Eden in particular, believed that there was growing support for a meeting of the General Assembly and the British Government was thus supporting the Indian request for a resumed session and considered Feb. 16 to be the right time to begin. (320/1–1254)↩