Cable No. 21680, Mao Dong to Cde. Filippov [Stalin]

SECOND MAIN DIRECTORATE OF THE GENERAL STAFF OF THE SOVIET ARMY

CABLi Nº 21680

Copy Nº 1 to Cde. Stalin

Nº 2 to Cde. Stalin

from [BEIJING] received 1750 11 July 1951

Copy Nº 2

[Stamp: SUBJECT TO RETURN

to the IV Unit OS VKP(b) CC

Incoming Nº 532/2343/shs 11 July 1951]

SERIES "G" T.

to Cde. FILIPPOV

Cde. Filippov!

I am sending you the texts of four telegrams of 10 July which I have received from Cde. LI KENONG.

Please familiarize yourself with them:

"To Cde. MAO ZEDONG. Copies to Cde. KIM IL SUNG and PENG DEHUAI. I am submitting a brief report Nº 1 to you about the progress of the conference: The five American representatives and 48 support personnel arrived  at the city of Kaesong at 0912 in helicopters and motor vehicles. After a brief rest the conference opened at 10 o'clock.

At first the representatives of both sides exchanged the documents authorizing them to conduct negotiations. An enemy representative spoke first at his own initiative (the text of his statement is attached separately). We did not stop him.

After statements by Cdes. Nam Il and Deng Hua the American representative said, "I am only authorized to discuss military issues affecting Korea. Do you agree to discuss only military issues about Korea at this conference? If you agree, then please sign the corresponding document" (At this moment he passed our representatives a previously printed written document and asked it be signed).

Cde. Nam Il replied there was no need for this.

Cde. Deng Hua added, "All three of our proposals touch on military issues relating to Korea. You can state your opinion with regard to these proposals".

The American representative repeated, "We can discuss only military issues touching on Korea and we have no authority to discuss other issues. Your proposals contain political issues besides military issues."

Cde. Nam Il asked, "Please indicate specifically, what issues are political?"

The enemy representatives did not reply but showed the text of the draft agenda for the next meeting of the conference and asked that the agenda be adopted first (the draft text is attached separately).

Cde. Deng Hua asked the enemy representatives to explain points 4 and 5 of the draft agenda. The enemy representatives replied that the details ought not to be discussed at this meeting and asked us to send them our three proposals in writing.

The enemy representatives then said that if we have differences about the agenda they proposed then their counterproposals need to be presented in writing.

We replied to this favorably. Our side proposed to continue the meeting at 1500. We are studying the agenda and the other issues raised by the enemy representatives.

Li Kenong. 1145 10 July".

"To Cde. Mao Zedong. Copies to Cdes. Kim Il Sung and Peng Dehuai.

As a result of study we intend to offer the following agenda at a meeting at 1500 on 10 July: (we will report the results of the meeting in addition).

1. Adoption of the agenda.

2. The main provisions of the cessation of hostilities in Korea: the establishment of a military boundary between both sides along the 38th parallel and the creation of a buffer zone.

3. The withdrawal of all foreign troops from Korean territory.

4. The taking of specific steps about the issue of a ceasefire and an armistice in Korea.

5. Measures regarding POWs after the cessation of hostilities. Li Kenong. 1200 10 July 1951"

"To Cde. Mao Zedong. Copies to Cdes. Kim Il Sung and Peng Dehuai. I submit attachment Nº 1 to brief report Nº 1.

The agenda for the second meeting of the conference proposed by the American representatives:

1. Adoption of an agenda.

2. The location of the POW camps and the right of representatives of the International Red Cross to visit the POW camps.

3. Discussion at this and subsequent meetings of the conference of issues of a purely military nature and involving only Korea.

4. A cessation of hostilities in Korea on condition there is a guarantee of preventing the resumption of hostilities in Korea.

5. The achievement of an agreement about the creation of a buffer zone passing through the territory of Korea from east to west.

6. The organization, rights, and functions of a military commission concerning the cessation of hostilities.

7. The achievement of an agreement in principLi that military observer groups subordinate to the military commission conduct observations within Korean territory concerning the cessation of hostilities.

8. The functions of the above military observer groups.

9. Steps with regard to prisoners.

Li Kenong. 1145 10 July 1951"

"To Cde. Mao Zedong. Copies to Cdes. Kim Il Sung and Peng Dehuai. I submit attachment Nº 2 to brief report Nº 1.

An abbreviated text of the first statement of Joy, the head of the delegation of the UN forces headquarters (the morning of 10 July 1951):

"At the present time the delegation of UN headquarters forces represents the UN headquarters forces and acts in its name.

Knowing that the results of these negotiations will benefit the peopLi of the entire world, our delegation will work productively and seriously. Everyone undoubtedly knows this. Until achievement of an agreement by both sides about the conditions for a cessation of military operations hostilities may continue as before in all areas except the neutral zone created by agreement of both sides. The delegation of UN headquarters forces is ready to exert its efforts to realize a cessation of hostilities and of the creation of military conditions which ensure the resumption of hostilities. Our delegation came here just to achieve this common goal. The delegation will only discuss military issues of Korea alone. Our delegation will not discuss any political or economic issues and will also not discuss military issues unrelated to Korea.

The success and failure of the negotiations which have begun today will depend on the realistic intentions of those delegations present here. If both sides have sincere intentions an atmosphere of mutual understanding can be created. If there is such an atmosphere we have good reason to hope for success. There is such an atmosphere where truth prevails.

As head of the UN forces delegation and as the immediate representative of the Commander-in-Chief of the UN forces I want to clearly state that the UN delegation has the most sincere intentions so that every person have this in mind if he is not intent on consciously creating misunderstanding.

We think that the representatives of the Korean and Chinese armies will act in the same way. Before discussing specific issues the UN forces delegation proposes that this conference be limited to the discussion of military issues concerning only Korea'.

Li Kenong 10 July 1951".

MAO ZEDONG

Nº 3444

11 July

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Deciphered by Vaganov

1850 11 July

Printed by Chesnokova 1955 11 July Verified: MAJOR  [signature] (RUDAKOV)

Nº 1503

Four copies printed. Nº 3 and 4 filed