N.Z. Representative On U.N. Command In Korea

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31501, 16 October 1967, Page 18

N.Z. Representative On U.N. Command In Korea

SEOUL (Korea). The office is an inconspicuous green quonset hut on the United Nations Compound, identified by a New Zealand flag hung over the door. Inside are two desks, a few lounge chairs arranged in a semicircle. Large colourful travel posters of the New Zealand countryside hang neatly in two rows. On the table are collections of New Zealand travel magazines and a few Maori artifacts. This is the office of Major lan Forsyth, the New Zealand representative on the United Nations Command Advisory Group. His country is one of 10 who make up the advisory group formed of Korean War Allies. Major Forsyth is also the accictanf seeretarv to the

United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission which meets the North Koreans at Panmunjom. “We meet in the hope that we will be able to negotiate meaningfully,” said Major Forsyth. “The United Nations Command is always striving toward meaningful negotiations. We do this with all sincerity.” Major Forsyth was appointed the assistant secretary by the former secretary, Colonel George F. Charlton (United States Army), to answer a barrage of condemnations against the U.N. Advisory Group by the North Korean secretary. When Major Forsyth appeared at the conference table, the North Korean secretary disrupted the meeting for over an hour with shouts and insults. He claimed that Major Forsyth was not a legal representative of the U.N.C. in spite of formal papers which had been exchanged. ' “He responded in the only way he knew at the time,” said Major Forsyth. "The North Koreans are most inflexible. They seemingly must speak from prepared statements." That meeting, and the one following, marked the first time in the history of the

meetings at Panmunjom, that a non-United States member of the U.N.C. spoke. The Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953 by the United States on behalf of the U.N.C. Hence, it has been accepted that the Americans speak at the meetings, although this practice is not mandatory. “All of us work with a view to constructive negotiations and the ultimate unification of Korea,” said Major Forsyth. "The problem at the moment is that unification under the communist view and the western world’s have two entirely different meanings. There is no indication so far that the North Koreans will adopt a different attitude.”

Major Forsyth sees the vitality of Korea and the rest of Asia as important to the national interest of New Zealand. “As one can 'ell from a map, New Zealand is quite isolated from the rest of the western world,” he said. “What happens in Asia affects us in New Zealand, particularly South-East Asia.” At the height of the Korean war. New Zealand had 2000

ground troop's fighting. New Zealand forces were present in Korea nutil the last contingent was sent home in 1957. Since that time, they have maintained representation through the United Nations. In Vietnam, the New Zealanders have recently sent an infantry unit to augment an artillery battery. Assists Ambassador

In addition to his duties with the U.N.C. Major Forsyth acts unofficially as assistant to the New Zealand Ambassador to Korea. The Ambassador is also Ambassador to Japan and is stationed in Tokyo. Major Forsyth began his military career early in World War 11. He served in the Pacific, Middle East and was wounded in northern Italy. After hospital treatment, he was transferred to the New Zealand Forces Club in Rome with the rank of warrant officer, Ist class. In 1947, Major Forsyth joined the Regular Forces and served as an instructor wit’ the New Zealand Army schools for 11 years. During the last five years with the schools, he held the appointment of regimental sergeant-major. For his services in the

Army schools, he was made a Member of the British Empire (M.8.E.) in the New Years Honours in 1957. From 1957 to 1959, Major Forsyth served as regimental sergeant-major of the Ist New Zealand Regiment in Malaya (now Malaysia). Commissioned in 1960. Major Forsyth was assigned as the assistant area officer in Christchurch, New Zealand. He held various other appointments before being assigned to the U.N.C. in Korea last November. Upon completion of his tour in Korea next month, Major Forsyth will be posted to the Southern Military District, in Christchurch, which is also his home town. The photograph shows Major Forsyth at work at his desk.