Memorandum of Conversation

T(KOREA/SD) #6742 DEPARTMENT OF STATE DECLASSIFIED STATE LTR. 3.2.79 Memorandum of Conversation PROJECT NLT 78.2 tepa NARS, Date P.29.79 DATE: April 6, 1951 SUBJECT: PARTICIPANTS: Mr. Hume Wrong, Ambassador of Canada Mr. J. H. van Roijen, Ambassador of the Netherlands Baron Silvercruys, Ambassador of Belgium Mr. Joaquin M. Elizalde, Ambassador of the Philippines Mr. Millet, Counselor of French Embassy COPIES TO: Mr. John Hickerson, Assistant Secretary of State S-The Secretary; FE-Mr. Rusk; G-Mr. Matthews; S/P-Mr. Nitze; UNP $3.363 At the end of the regular briefing session today with the representatives of countries having military forces in Korea, the above mentioned gentlemen cornered me after the others had left and asked about the President's statement at his press conference yesterday in response to a question as to whether General MacArthur had been given authority to bomb bases in Manchuria in the event of an air attack on UN troops. Mr. Millet lead off with the questioning and said that the French Government had understood that the countries with military forces in Korea would be consulted before any such instructions were given. I replied that during the month of January we gave a number of governments, including the French Government and I believed, practically all of the countries with military forces in Korea, assurances that the proposed Chinese aggression resolution did not confer any additional authority for military action beyond that already covered in various other resolutions; I added that we carefully pointed out that in the event of a massive air attack against UN forces, the Unified Command must reserve the right to take counter-measures including bombing of the bases from which the attacking planes came. I added that at that time we gave assurances that we would, if possible, consult in advance with the interested governments but that we could not be absolutely sure that there would be time for this for military reasons. I added that those assurances still were valid and that the situation inthat regard had not changed. DCI. Anal 23 The Rev 015618 TOP SECRET Cat