Evening star., 1951-08-12
Reds Not Expected
To Break OFF Talks
Despite Buffer Stand
BY the Assoeioied Press

Dlplomatlc authOrltleS said yes
terday that the United States,
its allies and the U: N. command
/ in Korea are firmly agreed:
! l. To stand fast on rejection
of the Communist demand for a
truce zone along the 38th parallel.
/ 2. To continue the negotiations
at Kaesong just as long as the
Reds will go to the conference
table.
Barring some Communist mill
tary trickery which could upset
the whole situation, one highly
placed informant said yesterday
that despite the increasing ten
tsions in the Kaesong sessions:
I'VE will not break off" He added
that "of course we don't know
what the other side may do"
Total Break off Discounted.
Actually there is not much ex-
pectation here that the Reds will
destroy the negotiations. though
they might break them off tenn.
porarily. 1t is believed that COM
lmunism's Soviet leaders in Mos
COW would like very much to end
the Korean fighting provided they
do not have to pay an excessive
price
Some American officials think
that the Red leaders may seek to
set a price of their own in con-
Inection with the Japanese peace
conference at San Francisco be-
ginning September 4. There is a
feeling that the Kremlin would
like to wreck that conference and
may try to use the Korean situa-
ton to that end.
Maneuver Anticipated.
+ One speculation is that they
might arrange for the Korean ne
gotiations to bring a successful
Iarmistice agreement just before
the conference opens, meanwhile
sending a delegation to San Fran
cisco to try to block the signing OF
| the treaty from the inside Alter
natiVely, there is somewhat more
ominous possibility in the opinion
of officials here. The Russians may
try to deliver an ltimatum-there
/ will be no peace in the Far East if
the United States and nations al
lied with it go through with the
japanese treaty.
( Whatever RussiaS overall pur-
poses may be. the intention of
Washington policy makers is to
use every possible device to get
the Korean war settled on the
present battle line. which runs in
some places 80 miles north of the
38th Parallel.
Face Saving Considered.
+ If and when the Reds begin to
yield in their insistence that ar
armistice buffer zone must center
exactly on the parallel, the U.N
negotiators are expected to as
sist them in making an about face
by adjusting the UN. proposals in
SO far as possible to permit face
saving. In fact some efforts to do
this has already been made; for
example, one of the truce lines
suggested by Vice Admiral C.
Turner Joy would let the Reds
have about as much territory
south of the 38th parallel as the
U.N. requires north of it.
! Officials here are not dismissing
altogether the possibility that the
Reds may disrupt the Kaesong
talks. If the Communists think
that they cannot yield on the 38th
parallel and if they believe the
negotiations ultimately will fail
anyway. it is just possible that
they may want to end them in
order to launch an offensive.
f.! In that case, the weather would
dictate such a move be made
quickly. The reason is that the
rainy season which impedes the
U.N. Air Force soon will end and
increased air operations would
make any Red drive even more
doubtful of success.