BUFFER STATE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 71, Issue 36, 22 November 1950, Page 5

BUFFER STATE

SOLUTION IN KOREA PROPOSAL BEING EXPLORED ' (N.Z.P.A.-Oooy right) (Rec. 8.30 ’a.m.) LONITON, Nov. 20. • The Foreign, Office announced to-day that the British Govern- ■ iheiit "was consulting w'ith United States, France and Commonwealth Governments about the possibility of finding a solution to the Korean ,-.i problem. ■ Its formal statement did not in- ' , dicate the likely nature of the solution, but diplomatic quarters believe it referred to exchanges through diplomatic channels on the feasibility of establishing a demilitarised zone in North Korea. Observers believe the Western Powers are inclined to sound out the Chinese Government representatives about the plan on their arrival in New York later in .the week. American officials believe that any buffer State between Korea and Chinese Manchuria should include equal parts of both countries, states a Washington message. United’ States officials have reached a deadlock in discussing the issue with the British, who have suggested a 20-mile United Nations-controlldd strip jto be set aside in North Korea as an inducement to the Chinese Communists to get out of the war. American diplomats are cool about the idea. They appear to believe that it would mean too great a concession to the Chinese Communists and be taken as a sign of United Nations weakness.* Nevertheless, they are discussing the plan with British representatives.

American officials have told the British that even •if the buffer plqn were adopted the idea of carving it out of Korea alone would be unacceptable. The United States Government feels that such a procedure would mean that the Koreans would make all the sacrifices while the Chinese Communists—who invaded Korea —would give nothing for an assurance they received. The British. French, Dutch and Scandinavian Governments are much more alarmed about the military situation that is developing about the Manchurian border than they have dared to imply in public, states the Lake Success correspondent of the “New York Times.” “The longer the United States and Chinese armies remain in contact with each other, the more they are convinced that the United Nations is walking into a trap,” states the correspondent.