Telegram 084120 from the Romanian Embassy in Washington, DC, to the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

TELEGRAM  084120

To: the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

From: the Romanian Embassy in Washington, DC

Subject: US – South Korea

Date: February 7, 1977

Classification: Secret

Edward Hurwitz, Director of the Korea Desk in the US State Department, told Comrade Petre Anghel, Third Secretary, the following:

The Carter administration has decided to implement measures announced during the 1976 political campaign, particularly those regarding improving bilateral relations and US troop withdrawal from South Korea. According to the bilateral security treaty, the US will maintain its commitment to strengthen the security of this country and gradually withdraw ground troops in consultation with both South Korean and Japanese authorities.

This position has been recently restated by Vice President Walter Mondale in discussions with the Japanese Prime Minister.

The situation in the Korean Peninsula remains tense and explosive, and the US does not want to alter the military and strategic balance in the region through its position.

The decision to partly withdraw American troops from South Korea is mostly the result of internal pressure within the US, especially after Vietnam, to maintain limited military presence so as to avoid a potential implication in a new military conflict.

The DPRK’s recent four-point statement regarding contacts between various political and military organizations in North and South Korea is not concurrent with the joint North-South four-point statement and, thus, not viable. Furthermore, reopening discussions on the Korean question at the United Nations in the current context is not likely to decrease tensions within the Peninsula.

The US believes that a first step could be made through a joint Sino-Soviet-American effort and is willing to have contacts with the DPRK as long as the USSR and the PRC initiate contact with South Korea.

Signed: Nicolae M. Nicolae