December 16, 1975
Telegram from Pyongyang to Bucharest, No. 059.349
This document was made possible with support from Leon Levy Foundation
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
TELEGRAM
Sender: Pyongyang
No.: 059.349
Date: 16.12.1975
Time: 03:00
Department Relations I
Concerning: the visit of President Ford to Beijing
The diplomatic corps in Pyongyang notes that for the first time since the end of the war in the Peninsula, the Korean issue is made the object of extensive talks between US and Chinese leaders (with the occasion of Ford’s recent visit to Beijing).
Among others, diplomats from P.R. Poland, P.R. Hungary, G.D.R., S.F.R. Yugoslavia and Egypt, are commenting that, during President’s Ford visit to Beijing, H. Kissinger insisted that the People’s Republic of China agree with the American desire not to withdraw its troops from South Korea and accept the US proposal to convene an international conference—with the participation of the US, the People’s Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and South Korea—to discuss the Korean matter. Assumptions are being made that the US is not against a U.S.S.R.-backed proposal that the four countries mentioned above should be joined at the international reunion by the U.S.S.R. and Japan.
Chinese leaders are entirely against an international reunion on the Korean issue to which the U.S.S.R. would participate. It is mentioned (by the G.D.R. counselor) that the People’s Republic of China publicly backs the proposal of the Korean government, that the Korean issue be discussed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the US. In talks with Ford however, Vice-Premier Xiaoping is supposed to have appeared favorable towards the four countries’ participation formula.
In a talk with V. Nanu on December 13 this year, Polish Ambassador T. Bialkovsk mentioned that Seo Cheol [So Chol], member of the Political Committee of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party, during a visit to the Polish Embassy (05.12), was asked if Korean leaders are aware of the particular points discussed in Beijing by President Ford on Korea.
The Korean interlocutor responded that “the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has given no mandate for discussions on the topic, that this is a national issue and should be therefore discussed exclusively among Korean leaders; they are entirely against intermediaries.”
Moreover, Seo Cheol said that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea leaders unofficially found out that the Korean issue was discussed in Peking, but they are convinced no agreement was reached on the topic.
The Korean dignitary said that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is ready to conduct negotiations with the US but no reply had yet arrived from the latter side.
We note that the Korean press has not published anything on Ford’s visit to Beijing.
Signed: V. Nanu
Nanu discusses the focus that US and PRC places on the tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The US refuses to withdraw its forces from the peninsula and instead proposes an international reunion to discuss the issue while China supports a direct bilateral meeting between the DPRK and the US.
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