396.1 GE/5–1354: Telegram

RobertsonPyun Meeting, Geneva, May 13, Morning: The United States Delegation to the Department of State

confidential

Secto 196. Repeated information Seoul 73, Tokyo 57. Tokyo pass CINCUNC. Following meeting of 16 this morning, Robertson and Young met with Pyun and Republic of Korea delegation to discuss meeting of May 9. Robertson stressed:

(1)
Both delegations should refrain from getting involved in details, but support general principles on which can all agree.
(2)
Communists here are trying alienate United States away from its Allies by attacking only United States and not any other country.
(3)
It would be playing right into Communist hands if United States put in position of agreeing only with Republic of Koreans, and not with Western Allies.
(4)
United States has major problems, as well as other alliances to consider in critical areas around the world and must resist Communism wherever possible as the only country with the power and resources to lead in this effort along with other Allies.
(5)
United States Government would be in difficult position with United States public opinion if we can not find common ground on basic principles with other Allies.
(6)
United States delegation stressing Republic of Korea only Constitutional authority and that elections should take place under Republic of Korea Constitution.
(7)
Other delegations here agree with United States on central issue United Nations supervision and drafting common set general principles, instead detailed plan which they would prefer. This is great advantage for United States, since many delegations not agree [Page 262] with initial position introduced by Republic of Korea and United States delegations on elections only in North Korea and Chinese Communist withdrawal first.
(8)
Molotov’s second speech is such an unequivocal rejection of principle United Nations supervision that Communists undoubtedly can never repudiate it which gives United States and Republic of Korea opportunity for great political victory in free world over Communists, if we can now seize opportunity by stating general issues on which 16 insist Korean unification be based and leave Conference on that positive note when Communists reject them.

Pyun and Republic of Korea delegation concurred in desirability drafting general principles and leaving details for later development in unlikely event Communists should accept statement principles. Pyun and Yang asked United States to draft such principles and discuss with them later today which we will do.

Principles already drafted in subsequent telegram.1

Smith
  1. See telegram 74, May 13, p. 264.