Message from Ashcraft, The Situation in Korea

PRIORITY PRIORITY SECRET TO WASHINGTON FROM NEW YORK TO ASHCRAFT FOR REEVES FROM LEA -- SECURITY INFORMATION -- CITE NY 4249 CASE 11814. RE REEVES/CONNELL RPT REEVES/CONNEL PHONE CONVERSATION. QUOTE: DECLASSIFIED E.O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) THE QUESTION OF KOREA Dept. of State letter, 11-1-74 Astect WU 77-46 N.T. He NARS 12-5-11 UNDER THE PRESIDENCY OF MRS. PANDIT OF INDIA, THE ARAB/ASIAN GROUP MET THIS AFTERNOON AT 2.15 TO DISCUSS THE OVERALL SITUATION OF THE ARAB/ ASIAN GROUP POSITION TOWARDS THE KOREAN QUESTION. WITH THE INDONESIAN RESOLUTION IN HANDS, MR. MENON OF THE INDIAN to NATIONAL DELEGATION, WHO IS TAKING COMPLETELY THE CHARGE OF THE KOREAN QUESTION WITH THE ARAB/ASIAN GROUP, SPOKE FOR A LONG WHILE EXPOSING THE "TWO SIDES" OF THE QUESTION IN REGARD TO THE RAPATRIATION OF THE WAR PRISONERS. HE SAID THAT: 1. THE QUESTION WHICH SEEMS UNANSWERED IN THE INDONESIAN RESOLUTION IS THE PROCESS, THE MECHANISM OF THE RETURN OF THE PRISONERS OF WAR. I FEEL THAT THE RESOLUTION IS RATHER VAGUE AND SHOULD BE DRAFTED IN MORE PRECISED TERMS. 2. THE QUESTION IS TO FIND A MIDDLE-ON-THE ROAD RESOLUTION WHICH WOULD SATISFY BOTH PARITES. WHAT IS THE USE OF A RESOLUTION WHICH WOULD GET 20 VOTES IF US AND USSR ARE OPPOSING IT? AND WHAT IS THE USE OF A RESOLUTION WHICH WOULD GET 40 VOTES IF THE USSR OPPOSES IT? I THINK THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PASSED THE STAGE OF *PROPAGANDA RESOLU- TIONS", LIKE THE ONES SUGGESTED EITHER BY US OR USSR AND WE SHOULD COME TO REAL WORK. THIS IS WHY MY OPINION IS THAT ANY RESOLUTION WHICH WE WOULD SUBMIT OR PREPARE SHOULD HAVE THE SUPPORT OR AT LEAST THE SYMPATHY OF BOTH PARITES CONCERNED, MEANING US AND USSR. I THINK, IN THIS RESPECT, THAT WE SHOULD NOT LIMIT OURSELVES TO THE SOVIET UNION AS REPRESENTING THE CHINESE COMMUNISTS THIS IS WHY I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONSULT ALSO PEKING AS TO WHAT ARE THE REACTIONS OF THE RED CHINESE TO THIS RESOLUTION AFTER ALL, VE PRESUME TOO MUCH IN THINKING THAT WHAT DECIDES MOSCOV IS AGREEABLE TO PEKING 3. IN THE PURE LEGALISTIC BASIS, THE SOVIET UNION VIEWS REGARDING THE GENEVA CONVENTION ARE CORRECT, BUT WE HAVE OF cous RPT COURSE TO CONSIDER THE *RUMANITARIAN" ASPECTS AS WELL, AS SOME OF US INSIST UPON TO. I THINK PERSONALLY THAT INSPITE OF VISHINSKY'S INSISTANCE OF THE "RIGHT* OF FORCED REPETRATIONS, HE MIGHT NOT STICK TO THIS CONDITION IF ONE GIVES HIM SATISFACTION IN OTHER ASPECTS AND FIELDS IN THIS MATTER. AFTER ALL, IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE US, THE USSR WANTS ALSO TO SAVE ITS FACE. AND ONLY *HONORABLE* SOLUTIONS WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY EITKER USSR OR USA.. I MEAN SOLUTIONS WHICH CAN BE WELL JUSTIFIABLE TO THE US AND PRO-COMMUNIST OR COMMUNIST PUBLIC OPINIONS!