KOREAN TRUCE TALKS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26524, 12 September 1951, Page 7

KOREAN TRUCE TALKS

Communist Attack On U.N.

(N.Z. Prest Association—Copyright)

Rec. 11.30 p.m.)

TOKYO, Sept. 11.

The Peking radio declared to-day that General Ridgway’s proposal to change the site for the armistice negotiations was a deliberate attempt to block the talks.

It said that even if the site was changed no success for the talks could be'expected unless the Americans changed their “irresponsible attitude.’’ The Communists were prepared to continue the talks if the Americans changed their past attitude. The broadcast was by “unnamed Communist representatives at the truce talks.” According to the best available translation in Tokyo the broadcast was a statement issued by the Communist delegation to the armistice negotiations.

The statement said: “Since the negotiations started we have taken an attitude of responsibility. However, the United Nations delegation manufactured, and are manufacturing, plots to block the progress of the talks.

"Now the United Nations commander has said that Kaesong is unsuitable as a site for the talks. ‘This proposal clearly exposes their intention to cover up all the incidents they instigated. Their aim is to utilise the question of the neutrality of Kaesong to block the talks. They have created circumstances to the point of the breakdown of the talks. "They indicate no intentions to end the incidents. j “In order not to be blamed for them, the United Nations made a new proposal to change the site of the talks, since they adopted these ruthless methods. “Even if the site of the talks were Changed they would continue to use every means to block the talks if they thought the talks were going against their aim. “Now the question is whether they have sincere intentions to carry on the talks smoothly or not. "If they are sincere the first step would be to investigate the incidents. If they-are not sincere their proposal to change the site is another method to break down the talks. "The United Nations should assume full responsibility for lack of sincerity if the talks break down.” United Nations officers who to-day Investigated the Communist charge that an Allied aircraft- had machinegunned Kaesong early this morning refused afterwards to admit that there had been an air attack or that United Nations aircraft had been involved.