Evening star., 1951-11-23
Accord Reached
On Buffer Zone
AS TruceStep
; More Points Left
To Be Settled in
Korea in 80 Days
By the Associoied Press

MUNSAN. Korea. Nov. 23.-
Truce negotiators reached agree
ment on a buffer zone clause
today. opening the way for a pos
sible armistice in Korea by Christ
mas.
I'VE have reached agreement in
so far as the wording is con-
cerned," Rear Admiral Arleigh
A. Burke, U. N. command sub
committeeman. told correspond
ents. THE only thing left now is
for the liaison officers who are
working on the map to finish"
Agreement on the buffer zone
issue came at the 10Th subcom-
mittee meeting in Panmunjom.
If the agreement is approved by
the full truce delegations, as ex-
pected. negotiators would have 80
days in which to solve three other
tough problems-supervision Of
the armistice. exchange Of war
prisoners and recommendations to
the belligerent governments.
Fighting Will Continue.
The negotiators have wrangled
since July over a single point on
the armistice agenda-the crea-
ton of a buffer zone.
Each of the three remaining
points could derail the truce talks.
Fighting will continue in the
war. now II months old. until all
of these points are settled.
Maj, Gen. Henry I. Hodes, chief
u. N. command subcommitteeman,
indicated the full five-man dele
cations could meet Sunday to ap-
prove the buffer zone agreement
worked out by subcommittee.
|, Staff officers today started
the actual line of battle
contact. This is to become the
formal cease-fire line if an ar
mistice is signed within 80 days.
Gen. Hodes said they may COM
plete the job Saturday.
May Settle Line Tomorrow.
'We are waiting until whatever
time is appropriate to meet again
and make-We hope sometime to-
morrow Saturday afternoon
the final settlement on the line"
Gen. Hodes said.
The staff officers meet again
at 10 am. Saturday g pm. Fri
day, EST.
Gen. Hodes said that if the stan
officers disagree on just where the
battle line is. the subcommittee
will settle the dispute.
Final approval of the buffer
zone agreement was delayed DUR
ing today's so minute session be-
cause Communist delegates want
ed to check the translation into
Chinese and Korean of the U. N.
command revision of the Reds
own cease-f1re proposals.
They called for a recess to COM
pare the versions. Later spokes-
man said the wording" was ap-
proved.
The plan provides that the pres
ent battle line shall be the formal
ceaSe-fire line if an armistice is
signed within 80 days.
If no agreement is reached be-
fore the deadline, a new demarca-
tion line Incorporating changes
resulting from military action will
be drawn just before an armistice
is signed. Then both armies will
pull back to create a buffer zone
2l2 miles wide.
Allied Demands Achieved.
The plan states specifically that
the war will continue during the
30-day period.
Brig. Gen. William U. Nuckols,
official U. N. command spokesman,
said the agreement would give the
Allies exactly what they asked
for at the beginning of the talks
in July"
The agreement followed a u. N.
command concession on one point.
In their original 3O-day plan
the Allies proposed that if an
armistice agreement is not
reached before the deadline, a
new cease-f1re line be drawn. The
Reds suggested that instead the
line be revised just before the
armiStice is signed to include
changes which may result through
battle action. The U. N. dele
gates accepted this.
Gen. Nuckols was asked whether
the Allies had abandoned their
opposition to any cease-fire line
which might become fixed
lease psychologically. U. N. spokes-
men have said they feared the
Reds would stall the armistice
talks interminably if such a line
were set.
IF we are going to get ahead
on an armistice at all there have
to be compromises by both Sides"
Gen. Nuckols replied.