Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXIX, Part 1, Korea

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

Washington, December 17, 1968, 2354Z.

288724. Subject: Instructions for Twenty-seventh Meeting.

1. We believe current instructions cover most problems likely to arise at next meeting and there is little we can do until Pak delivers his responses to presentation made at Twenty-sixth meeting.

2. One worrisome question is how to respond if Pak tries to whittle away formal statement Woodward is to make. Particularly in view of time element, we prefer to react strongly, saying it is not negotiable and that any effort to obtain alterations in it will simply lead to collapse of entire deal now agreed in principle. We have not tried to modify their draft and they will be wasting time trying to modify our factual statement of considered US position.² If Woodward prefers he could simply say that he is not authorized to make any changes in our statement.

Rusk

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 33–6 KOR N–US. Secret; Immediate;Nodis; Cactus. Drafted by Leonard, cleared by Brown and Walsh, and approved by Katzenbach.
2. Woodward agreed and intended to tell Pak “the statement is part of package and is not negotiable.” The Embassy also noted that Pak seemed unbothered by the statement at the last meeting and seemingly knew of it in advance from information passed by the Soviets. (Telegram 11850 from Seoul, December 18; ibid.)