Office of the Historian

396.1 GE/5–754: Telegram

Smith—Pyun Meeting, Geneva, May 7, Morning: The United States Delegation to the Embassy in Korea

confidential
niact
Geneva, May 7, 1954—9 p.m.

54. Repeated information Department Secto 137 Tokyo 27. Re Secto 127, repeated niact Seoul 50.1 Went over revised draft this morning with Pyun and Yang and expressed increasingly difficult position here Geneva lacking ROK decision agree on draft proposal. Pyun and Yang said they had sent several telegrams urging President Rhee accept draft. Re elections for President in addition for National Assembly in paragraph II–A revised draft, believe we should delete elections for President. Pyun and Yang said ROK del strongly opposed as reported Secto 107.2 We note from Seoul’s 523 to Geneva, Defense Minister has expressed fear election for President would greatly affect morale ROK armed forces. Robertson told Pyun we fully prepared delete elections for President if ROK desires.

Only other change suggested by Pyun is in paragraph III–A where he asked insert “unified” in second sentence to read “government of unified Korea”.

Explained paragraph IV on withdrawal non-Korean forces tentative. Pyun and Yang both liked revision.

Yang informed us privately Pyun sending message today to President recommending deletion presidential elections and acceptance revised draft proposal.

Smith
  1. Dated May 7, p. 218.↩
  2. Same as telegram 42, May 5, from Geneva, p. 204.↩
  3. Same as telegram 1125, May 7, from Seoul, p. 213.↩