§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
To what extent the UN was committed by the joint statement issued by Mr. Dulles and President Rhee, simultaneously with the Armistice Text, concerning the possible resumption of the war in North Korea.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThe statement issued on 7th August 1953 by Mr. Dulles and President Syngman Rhee includes an affirmation of the UN Command's intention at that time to exercise the right of self-defence against unprovoked armed attack in violation of the Armistice.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Article 4 of the Korean Armistice Agreement which recommended "the convening of a high level political conference within three months of the Armistice, to settle through negotiation the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Korea …" remains a valid expression of the hopes of the UN, or whether these hopes and recommendations ceased with the signing on 8th August 1953 of a Mutual Security Treaty between the United States of America and South Korea, Article 4 of which granted the United States of America "the right to dispose US land, air and sea forces in and about the territory of the Republic of Korea as determined by mutual agreement".
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§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyAlthough it proved impossible to convene such a conference within three months, a conference was convened in Geneva in April 1954, after the signing of the Mutual Security Treaty. It broke up without results in June 1954. We and the United Nations still wish to see a negotiated settlement between both sides on the Korean peninsula.
Lord Rennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What assurances were given by the UN Command to North Korea in July 1953 concerning the safeguarding of the Korean Armistice against disruption, and whether they are still valid.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThere was an exchange of letters in June-July 1953 between the UN Command and the North Korean-Chinese side concerning the safeguarding of the Armistice which reflected the conditions that existed then. In the time available we have not yet been able to check all these documents, but we believe that the general principles remain relevant.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What changes have subsequently been made in the Armistice Agreement signed on 27th July 1953 between the UN and the North Korean Communist Command, and whether Article 2Ac ("that both sides would cease to reinforce their troops, equipment, planes or other war supplies in Korea") has been rescinded.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyOn 21st June 1957, the Unified Command announced that, as the communist side had repeatedly violated the armistice provisions about the re-introduction of combat weapons and equipment, it considered itself relieved of its obligations under that provision.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the statement issued from 10 Downing Street on 14th August 1953 still represents British policy towards Korean Armistice.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThe statement was issued in relation to the specific circumstances of August 1953, but the general principles remain relevant today.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the UN was invited to accept the terms of this joint statement and of the Mutual Security Treaty, particularly as regards their implications for Article 4 of the Armistice Agreement.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyThe Mutual Security Treaty was a bilateral agreement. Its signing did not prevent the holding of the Political Conference envisaged in Article 4 of the Armistice Agreement.