DEPARTMENT OF STATE Memorandum of Conversation
DATE: Sept. 2, 1952 September 2, 1952
SUBJECT: Exchange of Prisoners Problem in Korea
PARTICIPANTS: Dean Acheson - Secretary of State Senor Don Rafael de la Colina - Ambassador of Mexico Senor Don Rafael Nieto - Minister Counselor of Embassy of Mexico Thomas C. Mann - Deputy Assistant Secretary (ARA) John M. Allison - Assistant Secretary (FE)
COPIES TO: S S/S G S/P UNA ARA FE
The Mexican Ambassador called at his request to leave with the Secretary a copy of a communication delivered today to the Secretary General of the United Nations by the permanent Mexican Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Luis Padilla Nervo. The note in substance suggests that each member of the United Nations that signifies its approval of this plan would pledge itself to receive in its territory those prisoners of war who did not desire to be returned to their former countries. While the proposal is not entirely clear, apparently the prisoners of war held by either party who are willing to be exchanged would be exchanged without delay under this plan and the remaining prisoners would then go as political refugees to the various United Nations members who accept the plan.
Ambassador de la Colina stated that he assumed that the Secretary General of the United Nations would transmit this suggestion officially to the United States Government as agent of the Unified Command. He went on to say that after there had been an opportunity to study the proposal and if the Unified Command believed it had merit there would obviously be the necessity of working out the details and perhaps modifying it in some form or another. However, the Mexican Government believed it important that the general proposition be put forward for consideration.
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prisoners by restoring to them the dignity that only free labor can bestow. At the same time, a contribution to the progress of International Law might be made by reaffirming the principle that prisoners of war are not to be treated as just a conglomeration of human beings whose fate the authorities may decide at will, but on the contrary, that man's inalienable right to freely work out his own destiny should prevail. Finally, if the plan herein submitted leads to an effective agreement, it would strengthen the confidence of the peoples of the world - including the prisoners of war in Korea who have refused repatriation - in the universal scope of the cause of the United Nations and in the solidarity of the members of this Organization.
"I shall therefore sincerely appreciate your transmitting this plan to the competent organ of the United Nations."
I take this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurances of my highest and distinguished consideration.
DRAFT TRANSLATION Embassy of Mexico Washington D.C., September 2, 1952
Excellency,
I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that Ambassador Luis Padilla Nervo, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations, has delivered today to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Trygve Lie, the following communication:
"I have the honor to inform you that His Excellency Miguel Aleman, President of the United Mexican States, voicing the sentiments of the people of Mexico, who deplore the necessity of prolonging the military campaign in Korea, has instructed me through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to transmit to you a plan which in the view of my Government may contribute to remove an issue that, so far as we have been able to determine, is the obstacle to the signing of a truce in that region, namely, the exchange of prisoners of war.
"My Government's proposal, reduced to its essential terms, but susceptible of being modified in the light of the opinions of the other members of the United Nations, might follow the general lines set forth below:
"The prisoners of war held by either party who may have voluntarily expressed their wish to be repatriated, would be exchanged without delay.
His Excellency Dean Acheson Secretary of State Washington, D.C.
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[Handwritten: Sept. 2 - Mexican Memo - corrected copy; M.A].
"As regards the others, each Member of the United Nations that signifies its approval of this plan, would pledge itself to receive in its territory a number of said prisoners in the ratio that might be agreed upon with the understanding that, once in the country of temporary asylum, the corresponding authorities would grant them an immigration status that would allow them to find work so as not to become public charges.
"As soon as normalcy returns to said part of the Asiatic Continent, the Governments of their respective countries of origin would grant the prisoners the facilities and assurances that might be required for their immediate repatriation. As long as abnormal conditions continue to prevail, said Governments would nevertheless proceed in a similar way in the case of persons who would later express their willingness to return to their countries of origin, in which case the United Nations would afford them the necessary means to carry out their wishes. "The Mexican Government is not unmindful of the fact that should this plan be accepted, the States approving it would bind themselves to make certain sacrifices; but these certainly would not be excessive if, through them, a firm step could be taken to facilitate the suspension of hostilities.
"To the foregoing objectives, which by themselves are sufficiently important to warrant their careful consideration, another should be added, namely, that of raising the social status of the [end of corrected page]
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[original page 2]
"As regards the others, each Member of the United Nations that signifies its approval of this plan, would pledge itself to receive in its territory a number of said prisoners in the ratio that might be agreed upon with the understanding that, once in the country of temporary asylum, the corresponding authorities would grant them an immigration status that would allow them to find work so as not to become public charges.
"As soon as normalcy returns to said part of the Asiatic Continent, the Governments of their respective countries of origin would grant the prisoners the facilities and assurances that might be required for their immediate repatriation. Said Governments would proceed in a similar way in the case of those prisoners that, not having fulfilled the condition stated above, would later express their willingness to return to their countries of origin, in which case the United Nations would afford them the necessary means to carry out their wishes.
"The Mexican Government is not unmindful of the fact that should this plan be accepted, the States approving it would bind themselves to make certain sacrifices; but these certainly would not be excessive if, through them, a firm step could be taken to facilitate the suspension of hostilities.
"To the forgoing objectives, which by themselves are sufficiently important to warrant their careful consideration, another should be added, namely, that of raising the social status of the
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prisoners by restoring to them the dignity that only free labor can bestow. At the same time, a contribution to the progress of International Law might be made by reaffirming the principle that prisoners of war are not to be treated as just a conglomeration of human beings whose fate the authorities may decide at will, but on the contrary, that man's inalienable right to freely work out his own destiny should prevail. Finally, if the plan herein submitted leads to an effective agreement, it would strengthen the confidence of the peoples of the world - including the prisoners of war in Korea who have refused repatriation - in the universal scope of the cause of the United Nations and in the solidarity of the members of this Organization.
"I shall therefore sincerely appreciate your transmitting this plan to the competent organ of the United Nations."
I take this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurances of my highest and distinguished consideration.