Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Secretary of Defense Robert Lovett, General Omar Bradley, Selwyn Lloyd, Lester Pearson, and Ambassador Cross

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320 . SERVICE** Draft memorandum covering meeting of Secretry Acheson, Secretury Tovett, Gener 1Bradley, Mr. Selwyn Lloyd, Mr. Mike Pearson, Ambessador Gross, accompanied by Mr. 1. A. Duff, Mr. Jeffery Kitchen, Col. Matthews, Mr. Rae. Seer tary Acheson opened the meeting by saying it was just as well to gnt right down to cases on the subject at hand. He said the JCS had looked over the Menon draft proposal and that Mr. Lovett and General Bradley would speak on three principal points which the JCS had indicated were essential to a consideration of the proposal. These were: (1) there should be no forcible repatriation and this shoul be clearly st ted in the body of the resolution; (2) the umpire shou d be a member of the Commission and the draft should be cleaned up to indicate a definite time limit for the rot ntio of prisoners and an ilternative choice -- i.e., a second door; (3) it should be understood that the resolution, if and when passed, would constitute a reconmendation to General Clark and that it would be up to him to implement the details involved Secretary Lovett then set forth the view of the Defense Department. Mr. Lovett said the Menon proposal was unseceptable because it did not provide sufficient safeguard for the welfare of UN troops in Koren. It contained hazards which were unacceptable and left aside some of the basic commitments which we had male. It was very fuzzy on points r quired to provide adequate safeguards for the troops if there should be a breach of the armistice. He considered an acceptance of the Menon proposal would be an avoidance of our responsibilities and that the military judgment would be to oppose