§ 1. Mr. Owenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reply has been received from the Chinese and North Korean Governments, concerning the submission made by the 16 nations, on the question of disengagement, and the unification of Korea; and whether he will now make a statement.
§ 6 Mr. Selwyn LloydA reply to the communication made to the Chinese Government on 9th April on behalf of the countries concerned was handed to Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Peking on 6th May. The Chinese reply, I regret to say, did not respond to the request for clarification of the North Korean proposals for elections and merely repeated the demand for withdrawal of United Nations forces, after which consideration of other matters might take place. A further communication has today been delivered to the Chinese Government by Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires on behalf of the Governments concerned. I am circulating both these texts in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following are the texts:
Chinese Note of May
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China presents its compliments to the office of the British Chargé d'Affaires in China and asks it to communicate the following to the British Government and through the British Government to the Government of the other countries on the United Nations Command side.
On April 9, 1958, the British Government on behalf of the Governments of the countries on the United Nations Command side delivered to the Chinese Government Note No. 35, as a reply to the statements made by the Government of the People's Republic of Korea and the Government of the People's Republic of China respectively on February 5 and 7, 1958. The Chinese Government in its own name and entrusted by the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea hereby replies to the Note of the British Government as follows:
The Korean and Chinese Governments, reviewing the situation in the past three months, are glad to note that the proposals of the Korean and Chinese Governments for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Korea and the peaceful settlement of the Korean question have won the warm support and approval of many countries and people; particularly the fact that the Chinese People's volunteers have decided to withdraw completely from Korea 84W by stages and in groups and are carrying out the withdrawal has opened up a new and practical way for the peaceful settlement of the Korean question. However, the Korean and Chinese Governments cannot but point out with regret that while the peace-loving countries and people throughout the world have expected the United States and the other countries on the United Nations Command side to withdraw also all United Nations forces from Korea, just as the Chinese People's volunteers are being withdrawn, the United Nations Command side has up to now failed to take any positive measure on the question of withdrawal of forces. Furthermore in their reply to the Korean and Chinese statements which took as long as two months, the Governments of the United States and the other countries on the United Nations Command side have by-passed the question of withdrawal of forces which is the most urgent and practical step in the peaceful settlement of the Korean question, and, for ulterior purposes, have diverged to the question of so-called clarification on the supervision of elections to entangle the issue, although a Clear cut attitude on this question was set out by the Korean Government in its statement of February 5. The Korean and Chinese Governments see in this behaviour of the Governments of the countries on the United Nations Command side an obvious attempt to divert the attention of the people of the world to escape from its inevitable responsibility of withdrawal of its forces from Korea and to cover up the scheme of the United States to prolong its occupation of South Korea, to continue to obstruct the peaceful unification of Korea and to further create tension in the Far East. The Korean and Chinese Governments deem it necessary, once again, to call on the Governments of the countries on the United Nations Command side to face squarely the present situation, favourable for the peaceful settlement of the Korean question brought about by the initiative of the Chinese People's volunteers in withdrawing from Korea, as well as their responsibility before the Korean people and the people of the world. Facts are more eloquent than words. If the Governments of the United States and the other countries on the United Nations Command side are averse to proving themselves to be persistently obstructing the peaceful unification of Korea and relaxation of tension in the Far East, they should show good faith by the actual withdrawal of their forces. All attempts to find pretexts to evade this will be of no avail. The Korean and Chinese Governments would like to know when the Governments of the United States and the other countries on the United Nations Command side intend to withdraw all their forces from South Korea. Whether all United Nations forces would withdraw speedily from Korea will be an evidence of the presence or not of goodwill on the part of the Governments of the countries on the United Nations Command side for a peaceful settlement of the Korean question. The Korean people eagerly desire an early realization of the peaceful unification of their Motherland and the peoples of the world are 85W anxious for relaxation of tension in the Far East and the world. The Korean and Chinese Governments have done much in the past for the fulfilment of these desires, and will continue to make untiring efforts in the future. The Korean and Chinese Governments consistently maintain that only a complete withdrawal of all foreign forces from Korea will provide the necessary condition for a peaceful settlement of the Korean question, including the question of holding free elections. Provided that the Governments of the United States and the other countries on the United Nations Command side will clearly decide to withdraw all United Nations forces from South Korea within a definite time limit and put the decision into practice, proposed by the Korean and Chinese Governments, the Korean and Chinese Governments are going to propose a conference with the countries concerned to carry out negotiation on the peaceful settlement of the Korean question, following the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Korea.
Reply to the Chinese Note of May
Her 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 refer to the Ministry's Note of 6th May, 1958, 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 again on their behalf.
The Governments concerned, noting that the greater part of the forces sent to Korea in accordance with resolutions of the United Nations have already been withdrawn, reiterate that they welcome the announcement by the Government of the People's Republic of China that Chinese troops are also to be withdrawn from North Korea.
The Governments concerned are disappointed, however, that the Note handed to Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires on the sixth of May does not provide the clarification asked for in the Note delivered by Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires on the ninth of April and brushes aside the question of the principles on which elections should be held. The Governments concerned consider that these principles, which were set forth in the Note of the ninth of April, lie at the heart of the matter. It was for this reason that they sought the clarification requested in Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires' Note under reference. They cannot agree that the further withdrawal of United Nations forces without any provision for a proper settlement of the Korean question would be calculated to lead to a reduction of tension in the Far East; indeed they believe that such action would remove one necessary guarantee which exists against further aggression in Korea pending a final settlement.
The Governments concerned wish to see a genuine settlement of the Korean question in accordance with United Nations resolutions and are at all times willing to further the consideration of measures designed to effect reunification on this basis. United Nations forces are in Korea at the instance of the 86W United Nations. In accordance with the existing recommendations of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the Governments concerned are prepared to withdraw their forces from Korea when the conditions for a lasting settlement laid down by the General Assembly have been fulfilled.
A copy of this reply is being transmitted to the United Nations