CONCESSIONS BY U.S.

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27090, 13 July 1953, Page 9

CONCESSIONS BY U.S.

Rhee Abandons Threats

(Rec. 11.30 p.m.) SEOUL, July 12. Dr. Syngman Rhee’s secretary today quoted the President as saying that his agreement with the United States to co-operate in seeking peace for Korea would be effective for 90 days from the start of the political conference ,to follow the proposed Korean armistice.

Earlier reports said that in return for American promises of support Dr. Rhee had promised to abandon his threat to strike north alone. Dr. Rhee’s secretary said Dr. Rhee also emphasised to Mr Robertson that he did not want Indian, Polish, or Czech troops landed in Korea to take charge of prisoners of war rejecting repatriation. An authoritative source close to Dr. Rhee said South Korea had won two major concessions from Mr Robertson. The source said Mr Robertson had agreed that the United Nations would ask the Communists to omit Poland. India, and Czechoslovakia from the proposed five-nation committee to supervise the repatriation of prisoners of war.

Dr. Rhee had compromised on the Following points:

(1) South Korea would not obstruct an armistice. (2) She would agree to the signing of a mutual security pact with the United States after the armistice. (3) The South Koreans would turn over 8655 North Korean Communist prisoners to the neutral nation com1 mission. Revision of Agreement The source said the proposed change in the make-up of the custodian commission would mean the Communists would be asked to revise clauses in the prisoner of war agreement signed at Panmunjon on June 8. To get Dr. Rhee to agree to those points, Mr Robertson had to make important concessions. They were: (1) That the United Nations Command insist at Panmunjon that the political conference following the armistice should be limited to 90 days. (2) That the United Nations demand that ail foreign ground troops be withdrawn before the end of the conference. (3) That negotiations for a mutual security pact between the United States and South Korea be started before the armistice, although the signing could take place later. (4) That economic and military aid be continued independently from the mutual security pact. (5) That the United Nations ask the Communists to revise the prisoner of war agreement to exclude Communist nations from the custodian commission. (6) That South Korea be allowed to participate in the post-armistice political conference. The source said Dr. Rhee would still put his “march north” policy into effect if the Chinese did not agree to the withdrawal of all foreign troops before the end of the conference. The President could not take the risk that United States troops might withdraw from Korea while Chinese were still in the country. Dr. Rhee had insisted that the withdrawal of foreign forces apply only to ground troops, so that American naval and air forces could remain in Korea. The source said it was understood that the American concessions had been made without consulting other United Nations countries with forces in Korea, including the British Com- ■ monwealth. i