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April 29, 1952 SECRET SECURITY INFORTATION Dear Mr. Nesh: General Ridgway's recent recommendations for the negotiation of A Civil Affairs Agreement with the Republic of Korea by the Meyer Mission have led the Departments of State and Defense to devote much time, through informal discussions to this problem, in connection with the preparation of instructions for the ell- important economic negotiations with the Republic of Korea. Since the informality of these inter-dopartmental discussions should not leave the impression that the State Department representatives have been presenting anything but the considered opinion of the 5 Department, and in view of the extensive differences of opinion B that have developed on this matter, I think that it is desirable to outline the general approach that we in the Department of 5 State are taking in this matter, with the understanding that this approach is not a rigid one. There are special circumetances regarding Korea which make the negotiation of a Civil Affairs Agreement with that country an unusually difficult problem of reconciling its political A fessibility with its military necessity. We do not believe that we are in 8 position to support General Ridgway's recommendations in full. 5 The following factors have led us to this opinions 1. All United States relations with the Republic of Korea must give full recognition to the fact that the Republic of Korea is an independent and sovereign nation. 2. The Korean Mr. Frank C. Nash, Assistant to the Secretary for International Security Affairs, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Weehington 25. D.C. SHORT SNC031997 INFORMATION DECLASSIFIED E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 State Dept. Guidelines, March 6, 1982 By DEB NLT, Date 4-30-85