Office of the Historian

65. Telegram From the Embassy in Korea to the Department of State1

Seoul, July 15, 1955—1 p.m.

65. Tokyo pass CINCUNC, CG AFFE/Army Eight, CG FEAF and CAG. Re Embtel 392 repeated Tokyo 11, Bern 1, Stockholm 1. At 61st meeting MAC July 14 KPA/CPV took initiative and as expected agreed NNSC May 3 reduction proposal.3 However in so doing Communists emphasized:

(1) NNSC would retain right inspect at discontinued ports; and (2) Reduction would be of temporary nature. UNCMAC considers reply infers Communist view NNSC permanently linked with Armistice Agreement and can not be dissolved. UNC side merely “noted” KPA/CPV agreement and returned to attack on Communist violations Armistice and ineffectiveness NNSC begun at 60th MAC meeting.4

KPA/CPV pressed for UN reply regarding NNSC reduction, suggested recess until July 15 and accepted UNC counter proposal that next MAC meeting be held July 16, 1030 hours KDST.

UNCMAC of opinion that unless UN side gives reply on NNSC reduction at meeting 16th Communists will call another meeting early next week in continuing effort attempt embarrass UNC with Swiss and Swedes. Embassy understands UNCMAC has not yet received instructions reflecting US/UN decision on acceptability May 3 reduction proposal.

Lacy
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795.00/7–1555. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Tokyo and priority to Bern and Stockholm.↩
  2. In telegram 39 from Seoul, the Embassy reported that it had received information from UNCMAC that the KPA/CPV side in the Military Armistice Commission had called a meeting for July 14 to discuss the NNSC proposal of May 3 for the reduction of NNIT units in Korea. (Ibid., 795.00/7–1155)↩
  3. See Document 41.↩
  4. At the 60th meeting of the Military Armistice Commission at Panmunjom on July 5, General Harlan C. Parks made a lengthy statement specifying what he charged were continuing and extensive violations of the Armistice Agreement by the Korean People’s Army and the Chinese People’s Volunteers. He made particular reference to the introduction of MIG aircraft into North Korea and to the efforts made to conceal the presence of such aircraft. The full text of General Parks’ statement is printed in Department of State Bulletin, August 1, 1955, pp. 191–196.↩