Telegram, Zhou Enlai to Mao Zedong and Others, Regarding the Situation at the Thirteenth Plenary Session

Chairman Mao, Comrade [Liu] Shaoqi, and the Central Committee:

(1) At yesterday's plenary session on the Korean issue, we took steps to make the meeting a restricted one in which we could solve the problem. In order to do this, we took the initiative in adopting a conciliatory attitude and seeking subjects on which agreement could be reached. The Korean, Chinese, and Soviet delegations all spoke in the session. I have already sent back all three texts of the speeches. Nam Il stated that the DPRK was not opposed to the phased and proportional withdrawal of foreign troops. He cited the examples of the United States and Switzerland in order to refute his counterparts' arguments concerning the organization of an all-Korean government based on the proportional representation of populations. I spoke to emphasize that we could find common ground on which to settle the Korean issue peacefully. At the meeting, Molotov submitted his draft concerning ?basic principles and agreements on a peaceful settlement of the Korean issue.? Although I have already cabled the text of his draft, I need to add three more sentences to one of the sections. Specifically, ?elections should be held within six months after the conclusion of this agreement. Elections should be conducted by secret ballot based on the laws of universal suffrage. Representation in the all-Korean legislature should be in proportion to the population of Korea as a whole.? Since three statements from our side all indicated that we tried to seek common ground, the Dutch delegation said in their speech that they would examine Molotov's proposals immediately after he spoke.

Smith and [ROK Foreign Minister] Pyun Yung Tai were afraid that our efforts to reach an agreement would have a positive influence on the conference. Pyun Yung Tai therefore made a special speech refuting Nam Il's arguments. Smith also spoke to attack my proposal for neutral nations' supervision [on elections in Korea]. He emphasized that elections must be supervised by the United Nations. He even hinted at last that he would use public opinion to threaten us. I immediately made a brief statement saying that we could not agree to Smith's explanation for the NNSC's role in the Korean issue. I also reserved my right to reply to other parts of Smith's statement to which we could not agree in the future.

(2) According to the media, the 16 countries of the other side held a meeting yesterday in the morning. The United States intended to sabotage the negotiations on the Korean issue. However, other countries did not agree. Obviously, it is the United States that intentionally creates tension both inside and outside the conference. The Americans are trying to win support under the signboard of the United Nations. They are afraid that our side will undermine the United Nations' prestige, and that we will desperately oppose the exercise of veto over the issue of neutral nations. They are afraid that an organization of neutral nations on a footing of equality with both sides will be unfavorable to the United States.

(3) In order to expose America's plot to sabotage [the conference], our side is preparing to provide further specific materials that affirm the achievements of the NNSC on the Korean issue and the effectiveness of the Four Nations' Agreement. We will also provide materials to prove that the United States violated the armistice agreement and disrupted the NNSC. Concerning the propaganda issue, we plan to compare our conciliatory attitude and America's disruptive one during the conference. It will show clearly that our side is trying its best to seek common ground. However, the United States is still insisting on United Nations supervision and is not willing to look for other channels beyond the United Nations to solve the problems.

Zhou Enlai
6 June 1954