Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Geneva Conference, Volume XVI

396.1/3–654: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in Korea¹

secret

Washington, March 24, 1954—3:51 p.m.

757. Your 864.² In preparation for Geneva interdepartmental Korean Working Group³ discussing several basic questions on which additional views of Embassy Seoul will be appreciated. Questions involve relationship between withdrawal all foreign forces and Korean unification.

(1) What is basis underlying Embassy’s proposals 1 and 2 for putting completion withdrawal prior to elections?

(2) Some difference in emphasis here on extent to which withdrawal US forces from Korea provides us with bargaining leverage vis-à-vis Chinese Communists. What is Embassy’s estimate?

(3) Will ROK Government insist on Chinese Communist withdrawal from Korea as first order business conference and agreement thereon prior discussion or implementation other measures for peaceful settlement Korean question?

(4) Assuming conference agreement on unification acceptable to us impossible will ROK Government favor or insist on agreement at conference on withdrawal all foreign forces?

(5) What would be reaction Rhee and ROK Government to proposal made at Conference for agreement on total or partial withdrawal all foreign forces unrelated to unification agreement?

Realize difficulty answering questions absence consultations with ROKs but Embassy’s reactions would help Korean Working Group here.

Dulles

1. Also sent to Tokyo with instructions to pass to CINCUNC.
2. Dated Mar. 6, p. 33.
3. At this time the Korean Working Group was preparing position papers for the delegation to the Geneva Conference; see the list of papers prepared, p. 4.