Evening star., 1951-01-08
Britain Urges Delay
In Branding Red China
AS Korea Aggressor
BY The Assee'a'ed Press

BY the Assoeioied Press
LONDON, Jan. 8.-Britain took
the view today that the nom Com
munist world can hardly brand
Red China an aggressor in Korea
until all United Nations efforts
to obtain a cease-fire fail.
This was disclosed as qualified
diplom a IS reported Common
wealth premiers were considering
whether to sponsor a new U. N.
bid to end the Korean war.
Even if this move fails, best in
formed opinion here suggests
Britain and several of her Com
monwealth partners will shrink
from taking some Of the steps
envisaged by the United States to
punish Red China-on grounds
that the consequences too easily
could involve them in war with
the Chinese Communists.
General Uneasincss Felt
Apparent British unwillingness
to go along with a punitive Amer
icans policy toward Red China re-
flected general West European un-
easiness toward the latest United
States proposals.
The State Department set forth
those proposals in a memorandum
sent last week to 80 key nom Com
munlst U. N. member capitals.
A Foreign Offlce spokesman was
pres.ed at a daily news conference
to tell what the British govern
ment thinks of the American
memorandum, and whether Brit
ain proposes to go along with its
suggestions.
He replied that the American
memorandum relates to circum-
stances which have not yet aris-
en- -It relates to circumstances
which would arise only If the
United Nations cease-flre commits
sion fails to effect a cease-f fire in
Korea"
Britain. he added, will begin
conferring with her West Euro
pean and Commonwealth friends
at once over the issues raised by
the United States. Beyond that
he would make no comment. The
government. he said, is "still
studying" the American memo
randum.
Government sources privately
made it clear that Britain must
choose between two critical al
ternatives in determining her at
titude in the event Korean peace
moves fail.
In this choice. both British
American unity and Common
wealth unity are at stake. Main
tenance of both unities are
cardinal objectives in British
foreign policy.
IT she goes along with the
American policy. her relations
with India would suffer. Addi-
tionally she would have to do a
complete somersault over her
China policy which. broadly, has
popular backing in this country
If she does not go along with
the United States, British -Ameri-
can unity, already battered as a
result Of often-confiicting Far
Eastern policies. would suffer at
a time when Western solidarity
is deemed essential to meet the
challenge Of Russian-led commu-
nism.
India Backing New Plan.
That's why she and her Com
monwealth friends look with much
hope to a widely reported Korean
peace plan said to have India s
backing. Its details are secret.
But it is known to be under study
by the Commonwealth premiers
who continued their discussion of
Far Eastern affairs today.
Sir Bengal Rau, India's chief
delegate at Lake Success. is flying
TO London this week for talks on
the subject with his prime min
lister, Jawaharlal Nehru. If the
Commonwealth leaders decide to
back this latest peace move, Rau
VIII act at once at Lake Success.
In broad terms the move aims
both at effecting a permanent
ease-fire and a time-tabled with
Grawal Of all troops from Korea.
4 U. N. commission, comprising
mainly Korean border states,
would supervise country wide
elections for a united, democratic
Parliament.
Paris Reluctant.
There was obvious official re-
luctance in Paris to going along
with the American proposal. A
government spokesman told news
men:
France does not wish to extend
the conflict and wishes to avoid
taking any measure that would re-
inforce the position Of the Soviet
Union Wis a Wis the Western pow
ers by dragging them into an ex-
hausting conflict with China"
The first ofhcial affirmative re-
action came from John Politis.
foreign undersecretary in Greece.
He said the Athens government Is
in full agreement" with the
American position.