795.00/6–1054: Telegram

The Ambassador in Korea (Briggs) to the Department of State

confidential
priority

1326. Repeated information Tokyo 785, priority Geneva 166. Geneva for USDel; Tokyo pass CINCUNC. President Rhee has just sent me following message via Acting Foreign Minister Cho:

“Informed that at Geneva today 16 nations agreed that Communist proposal offered no encouragement and must be rejected. They also agreed time has come end Korean negotiations. US and some countries want break emphasizing UN issue while England and her sister countries want to stress free election issue.”

Cho said President would appreciate it if I would convey this most urgently to Secretary Dulles and USDel Geneva emphasizing his belief Korea phase should be terminated without further delay or parley otherwise Communists will succeed in obscuring issues and dividing allies.

I reminded Cho that President had expressed approximately the same thoughts at our last talk re Geneva (Embtel 1303, June 4, repeated Geneva 156, Tokyo 7731) and that his views are accordingly already a matter of record. I said I should be glad nevertheless to telegraph again as requested by Rhee.

I also told Cho that I hoped instructions to Dr. Pyun would give latter sufficient leeway to permit him continue for at least a few days more, should that be necessary in order preserve united front UN side.

My conversation with Cho underlines views expressed Embtel 1307, June 7 (repeated Geneva 158, Tokyo 775)2 that we are likely have great trouble keeping Rhee in line unless Geneva phase ends very soon. While I shall continue do my best dissuade Rhee from ordering his delegation home, unless there is something definite I can tell him prospect unpromising.3

Briggs
  1. Dated June 4, p. 344.
  2. Not printed. It stated that at their meeting on June 4, Rhee had spoken to Briggs of withdrawal of the Korean Delegation from Geneva. Rhee had not made any threat to recall Pyun. said Briggs, but the Ambassador wished the Department of State not to overlook the possibility of early withdrawal of the Republic of Korea from the Geneva Conference. (795.00/6–754)
  3. Telegram 1327, June 11, 1 a.m., from Seoul conveyed the following message from Ambassador Briggs:

    “Later conversation with Acting Foreign Minister Cho this evening [June 10] indicates that message from President Rhee to me quoted reference telegram [1326] probably originated in Geneva from Pyun and that Rhee seeking capitalize thereon to support his thesis that Geneva Korean phase should be ended soon as possible.” (795.00/6–1154)