Telegram from Ambassador Warren Austin to Secretary of State Dean Acheson

NLT INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State DUPLICATE W. P. FILE 2--H-X TELEGRAPH BRANCH TOP SECRET Control: 10727 UNA FROM:New York Rec'd: December 22, 1950 7:41 o.m. lafe SS TO: Secretary of State G L NO: DELGA 460, December 22, 6:40 p.m. EUR NEA FE Re Korea--cease fire committee. DCR Pursuant to Department's Top Secret 602 of December 20, Ross and Hyde called upon Riddell, Rau and Entezam separately and thereafter had luncheon with Chauvel, Colson, Ordonnea" and Laskey. Jebb joined us after luncheon. In calling on the members of the Committee of Three we stressed the US earnest desire to see the group succeed, our realization that an attack across the 38th parallel might occur at any time and the belief that the effort to achieve cessation of hos- tilities prior to any such offensive is of great importance. We wanted to be certain that any questions or views of the group should be discussed and each of the three at least touched upon the question of withdrawal of UN forces. In dis- cussing this, we developed the points contained in REFTEL. We added that we would like to see the group succeed rather than simply make a record. The press had telephoned the three about a radio report that Chou En-lai had declared the Committee of Three illegal and that therefore PRC would not deal with it. Riddel had just heard this radio report and having talked to Pearson by phone seemed discouraged. felt that 1 - ema only for the committee to write its report, assuming that the radio information was correct. thought it unlikely that the committee would receive any direct communication from Peiping. He thought that the UC military terms for a cease- fire were eminently fair if only there were some way to com- municate them. He felt that they were the answer to at least one point made in the radio report, that a cease-fire would trap the PRC into allowing UN forces to build un their strength. He was interested in the idea of examining the general principles which would cover the possible withdrawal of UN forces and felt this would have been very useful to use a week ago but with no channel of communication now open, he was doubtful how this approach could be communicated. -135 Rau had (over) REPRODUCTION OF THIS MESSAGE IS DRONSITSM THE