KOREA (CHINESE STATEMENT) (Hansard, 16 April 1958)

§ Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

The Chinese statement of 7th February on Korea was handed to Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Peking, who was requested to transmit the text to the Governments which contributed forces to the United Nations Command in Korea. This was done. Representatives of the Governments concerned discussed the Chinese statement in Washington and agreed on the terms of a reply, which was delivered on their behalf to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Peking, on 9th April.

The text of the Note is given below. A copy of it has been transmitted to the Secretary General of the United Nations by the United States Government, acting in their capacity as the unified command. The Secretary General has circulated it to all United Nations members.

Briefly, the Governments concerned reiterate in the Note their support for United Nations objectives in Korea, welcome the announcement that Chinese forces are to be withdrawn and call for clarification of certain points connected with free elections. Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires presents his compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, on instructions from Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has the honour to state that, as requested by the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs on February 7, the statement on Korea made on that date by the Government of the People's Republic of China has been communicated to the Governments of the countries which have contributed forces for the United Nations Force in Korea, who, after consultation, have requested Her Majesty's Government to reply on their behalf. The Governments of the countries which have contributed forces for the United Nation's Force in Korea have noted the statement made by the North Korean authorities on 16W February 5 and that made by the People's Republic of China and communicated to Her Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Peking on February 7. They have given careful study to these statements and to the proposals made therein. The Governments concerned reaffirm that their aim in Korea is to see the establishment of a unified, independent and democratic Korea, in accordance with relevant United Nations Resolutions. To this end, as they have often stated, they wish to see free elections held under United Nations supervision for the constitution of a National Assembly. They are glad to note that the North Korean authorities and the People's Republic of China also favour free elections and they welcome the announcement that Chinese forces are to be withdrawn from North Korea. There appears, however, to be some doubt as to the precise interpretation to be placed on the North Korean proposals. A variety of statements is reported to have been made, for example, by North Korean representatives in Peking and Moscow, to the effect that the "purpose of supervision by a neutral nations organization was to see that all political parties and public figures in both North and South Korea would have freedom of action, speech, publication, assembly and association" but that "such supervision should not intervene in the elections". These interpretations appear to call for some clarification and the Governments of the countries concerned would be glad to know whether, when the North Korean authorities speak of a "neutral nations organization" to supervise the elections, they accept that these should be held under United Nations auspices and there should be adequate supervision not only of the preliminaries but also of the elections themselves. They would also be glad to know whether it is accepted that representation in the new National Assembly shell be in proportion to the indigenous population. If the People's Republic of China will seek from the North Korean authorities clarification of the points mentioned above with such other details of the Korean proposals as may be relevant, they will be given careful consideration. A copy of this reply is being transmitted to the United Nations.