China Sets Face Against Cease Fire In The Korean War

Wanganui Chronicle, 19 December 1950, Page 5

China Sets Face Against Cease Fire In The Korean War

Must Have Seat In U.N.O. First And Formosa Must Be "Freed"

NEW YORK, December 17 (Reed. 8.5 p.m.).—The three-malt I nited Nations Mediation Committee would report tomorrow that it had failed completely in its efforts to arrange a eeasc fire in Korea, because the Chinese Communists had refused to have anything to do with it, a reliable source said tonight.

The Chinese Communist representative, Mr. Wu H. Hsiuchuan, had made his Government’s attitude unmistakeably dear in private talks. Mr. Wu made these points.

(1) Peking would not recognise the cease fire commission as constituted under the General Assembly resolution.

(2) He personally would not hold talks with the committee or any member of it as a representative of the committee. (3) The Chinese Communist Government, since it did not recognise the committee, would not grant the committee permission to go to Peking for discussions. (4) Peking would not yield on any of the grounds Mr. Wu ret out in a press conference yesterday as the pre-requisites of a peace settiemerit in Korea

These were the seating of Communist China in the United Nations and the withdrawal of United States forces from Korea and Formosa. Mr. Wu is reported to have outlined his attitude to the Indian delegate, Sir Benegal Rau, at a private dinner last night. Mr. Wu met Sir Benegal in the Indian’s personal capacity and not as a member of the Cease-Fire Committee. Mr. Wu said the Chinese Communist Government would be willing to negotiate an overall settlement if the related political questions were included, But it would not have any dealings with the United Nations on the basis of a cease fire first. The three man United Nations mediation committee held an urgent meeting today to discuss plans in the light of Communist China’s reception of the United Nations cease-fire formula. The mediators also worked on an interim report on their peace effort hoping to put it before the Political Committee tomorrow.

Some sources said completion of the report was being held up in the hope Peking would reply quickly to the cable the mediation committee sent yesterday stressing its desire to press peace efforts, despite the charge by the Peking envoy, Mr. Wu Hsiuchuan. that the cease-fire plan was “a trap.”

The mediation committee, in a statement released through a United Nations spokesman this evening, said only that further meetings were planned.