Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Korea, Volume XXIII, Part 2

32. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea¹

Washington, March 30, 1955—6:07 p.m.

616. Tokyo also pass CINCUNC. Two notes received March 25 re NNSC.²

Swiss note replied U.S. Aide-Mémoire and note March 2.³ Swiss Federal Council envisions negotiations at Panmunjom (date undecided) exclusively concerned with reduction NNSC personnel within Article 40 Armistice Agreement.⁴ Accordingly Swiss will not instruct delegate propose stationing all members in DZ although no objection modification of Armistice Agreement by parties to it in this sense. Murphy expressed U.S. extreme disappointment at reply stating we will have consider other possible courses action deal with matter.⁵

Ambassador Yang presented Aide-Mémoire objecting to permission given NNSC “by some American officers” to inspect Chinhae and Korean Navy Yard installations there during March 9 to 13. Aide-Mémoire charged purpose Communist on NNSC was espionage and requests U.S. prevent repetition such incident and states ROK Government will be compelled take counter-measures “under its sovereign right of self-defense” unless prompt attention given this dangerous situation. Robertson pointed out Rhee agreed recent inspections and that in trying effect NNSC termination we do not want take any action that would lead Swiss and Swedes join Czechs and Poles condemning ROK and UNC.

Embassy Seoul requested not inform ROK of Swiss note for present.

Dulles

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795.00/3–3055. Secret. Drafted by Christopher A. Norred of NA and approved by McClurkin. Repeated to Stockholm, Bern, and Tokyo.
2. The Swiss note summarized in this telegram is attached to the memorandum of the conversation between Deputy Under Secretary Murphy and Swiss Minister Henry de Torrenté on March 25. (Ibid., 795.00/3–2555) The Aide-Mémoire handed by Ambassador Yang to Assistant Secretary Robertson on the same day is attached to a memorandum of their conversation. (Ibid.)
3. See Document 26.
4. Article 40 of the Armistice Agreement stipulated that the number and personnel of the Neutral Nations Inspection Teams in Korea could be reduced by agreement of the senior members of both sides on the Military Armistice Commission.
5. U.N. Adviser Ward P. Allen of the Bureau of European Affairs discussed the Swiss aide-mémoire with Swedish Minister Douglas later in the day on March 25. According to Allen’s memorandum of conversation, Douglas described the position taken by the Swiss as “ridiculous” and commented that the Swiss note put back progress on the problem by about a year since the Swiss no longer seemed to be reconsidering the question of their continued participation in the NNSC. The Swedish Government, Douglas said, was still studying the question and could not endorse the Swiss reply. (Memorandum of conversation by Allen, March 25; Department of State, Central Files, 795.00/3–2555)