Office of the Historian

396.1 GE/5–754: Telegram

The United States Delegation to the Department of State

confidential
niact
Geneva, May 7, 1954—10 a.m.

Secto 128. Repeated information Tokyo 26, niact Seoul 51. Tokyo pass CINCUNC; Department pass Defense. Re paragraph 4 Tosec 81 repeated Seoul 893,1 submit following revision paragraph IV draft proposals for comment:

“Withdrawal of non-Korean forces. As an integral part of the unification of Korea, concurrent withdrawal of all non-Korean forces from Korea shall be effected as follows:

  • “A. The concurrent withdrawal of non-Korean forces shall be observed and verified by UNCURK at all stages in accordance with schedules pre-arranged with UNCURK pursuant to this agreement, and shall be carried out through the ports of entry prescribed in the Armistice Agreement of July 27, 1953.
  • “B. Concurrent withdrawals shall begin sixty days from the date of this agreement.
  • “C. By the date of the elections herein provided for, not more than a total of 150,000 non-Korean troops shall remain in North Korea and South Korea, respectively.
  • “D. All residual non-Korean forces shall be withdrawn from Korea within three months after UNCURK certifies that government of a unified Korea has been established with effective control over all Korea.”

This revision provides that bulk non-Korean forces, particularly Chinese, will be withdrawn from Korea by time elections held. This designed help Rhee’s problem as Department suggests. Revision also provides that nucleus UNC Forces would remain in Korea after elections [Page 221] for contingency Communists stall or circumvent implementation political plans.

Negotiating problem is whether we want to put forward in our first detailed public formulation troop withdrawal issue proposal for telescoped time span and bulk withdrawal prior to elections. Would it be better with Rhee’s agreement and understanding leave paragraph on withdrawal non-Korean forces substantially as is and amend it if necessary at later stages along above lines. Communists are pressing for total simultaneous withdrawal prior to elections. Time span and scheduled phases might better be held in reserve rather than initially take position close to or same as Communists.

Admiral Davis has seen above revision and concurs subject Defense concurrence. Would appreciate comments Department and Seoul.

Smith
  1. Dated May 5, p. 209.↩