795B.00/5–2054: Telegram
The Ambassador in Korea (Briggs) to the United States Delegation
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104. Sent Department 1214, repeated information Tokyo 722. Tokyo pass CINCUNC. For Smith from Dean. Assuming Rhee would be willing to issue statement of principles satisfactory to us eliminating added words in subdivision 4 (Seoul 1208)1 and assuming further Communists were to accept principles, the Chinese Communist armies were to withdraw, free elections are held and UNCURK certifies there is united government for all Korea and then North Korean Communist armies refuse to disband so that ROKs cannot effectively extend their civilian government to north, have we not then estopped ourselves from coming to his aid? For under UN Charter would seem conflict then would be internal problem and not an act of aggression or an international dispute. Or after such theoretical unification would not conflict between South and North Korea alone be a matter of domestic jurisdiction and pursuant Article 2 subdivision 7 therefore outside of UN Charter?
Am assuming, of course, we cannot give guaranty mentioned Prime Minister’s letter (Embtel 1208, repeated Geneva 99) as we would in [Page 294] effect be guarantying to rid North Korea of Communist armies. But assuming we are thinking of some such guaranty, wanted to call foregoing your attention.