Memorandum of Conversation with F. S. Tomlinson, U. Alexis Johnson, and Louis Henkin

USUT DE/R DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation DATE: May 27, 1952 SUBJECT: Korcan Armistice Negotiations. PARTICIPANTS: Mr. Tomlinson, UK Embassy of Mr. Johnson, FE Mr. Henkin, UNP FAR Bureau AFFAIRS Tex COPIES TO: EUR y NEA DECLASSIFIED FE USUN Authority FRUS 1952-54 UNA 11.249-251 DC/R By DEBNLT Date 2-28-85 Mr. Tomlinson called to inform me, with some embarrassment, that contrary to his assurances of yesterday that the Indian-UK formula would not be transmitted to Peiping for some time, New Delhi had jumped ahead and had in fact instructed its Ambassador to transmit it to the Communists According to the telegram which London received from New Delhi, Nehru had Panikkar transmit the formula as suggested, i.e., as the kind of proposal which Nehru is prepared to make to the UK and to ask the UK to discuss with the U.S. Panikkar has reported that the initial reaction of the Communists "warrants some hope. The matter is to be discussed again by Panikkar on June 1st. The UK will keep us fully informed. The UK Foreign Office further suggested that if the Communists in fact prove receptive to the formula, there were several possibilities for following it up: a.) The same channel, i.e., India, might be used to reach agreement with the Communists on behalf of all the UN participating nations. Introducing this new channel might prove a desirable new factor leading to more easy agreement; of course it would be important to give Panikkar very specific and limited instructions. b.) In the alternative, the UNC might make this suggestion at Panmunjon. In regard to the timing of the making of the proposal, the UK ForeignT Office thought that the offer should not be made until the possibility of a pre-armistice screening had been exhausted, but should be made as soon after that as possible. DC/R Anal 5 I to SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION Rev X 095389 Cat