795.00/3–1054: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Department of State
priority
Dulte 29. Re Rhee’s inquiries on Korean Conference reported Tedul 362 believe we should make clear that while conference procedure will have to be worked out at conference itself, we understand that ROK would not be bound to any matter of substance without its consent. Same would apply of course to US. If ROK and US agree on unification of Korea, it will happen; otherwise not. That is true substance of matter which cannot be altered by voting procedure of conference.
Re relation between Korea and Indochina, believe we should undertake to push Korean matter promptly and not allow it to be bogged down with discussions re Indochina. On other hand, it would only be impertinence on part of ROK to insist that Indochina war in which it is not involved cannot be dealt with by interested nations until Korean matter settled.
- Dulles was in Caracas as head of the U.S. Delegation at the Tenth Inter-American Conference; for documentation, see volume iv.↩
- Not printed. It contained a summary of telegram 865, Mar. 8, from Seoul which stated that President Rhee was anxious to have assurances on two points: first, that Korea would be discussed and a satisfactory agreement reached on the withdrawal of the Chinese Communists and unification of Korea under democratic auspices before Indochina was taken up; second, that a voting procedure would be established allowing one country (i.e., the Republic of Korea) to exercise a veto. (396.1–GE/3–854)↩