The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-07-19
Alien Troop
 Withdrawal Thought Issue
Agreement or Air of FinaIify' Promised; Each Side Emphatic
By ROBERT EUNsON


 MUNSAN. Korea. July l9, - M - Korean cease-fire negotiations near ed crisis in two-hour session to- day. No progress was made. the United Nations said.
 Tomorrow's meeting will tell the story, an official spokesman predic- ted.
 We'll come to an agreement or there will be an air of finality about the disagreement" said It. Col w. P. Preston.
 Neither the Communist nor the United Nations. delegation. would budge from its previous position on the one basic issue under debate, said Preston. He attended the ses- sions at Kaesong.
 The issue is believed to be the Red demand that foreign troops withdraw from Korea. although no one has said so officially.
 Same Thing Demanded
 Each side was very emphatic in its stand" said Preston. Never have heard the same thing sta- ted in so many different ways than today.
 Each statement was just as em- phatic-or even more so-than the previous one"
 Preston said his remarks had the approval of the United Nations command. Presumably this inclu- ded Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway, The Supreme Allied Commander flew back to Korea from his Tokyo headquarters in response to a mes- sage from his armisticc negatiat0rs. The acuteness of. the crisis was indicated by. the official. U. N. communiqne. For the first time since talks started July 10 it re- ported mo progress"
 There is one basic issue that the north Korean Chinese delegation Is holding out for" Preston said. Tt was the subject of debate all day"
 Reds Ask Withdrawal
 Thursday night the Red Korean Pyongyang radio emphasized the tone of Communist broadcasts for two days--that the key question is withdrawal of foreign troops. It quoted an official newspaper:
 "The solution of the Korean problem hinges on the withdrawal of foreign troops"
 North Korean Gen. Nam opened Thursdays discussions by asking what the allies thought of new cease-fire agenda submitted by the Communists Wednesday.
 Vice Adm. c. Turner Joy replied. the U. N. communique said, by re- iterating "the United Nations stand that only matters of military na- ture would be discussed"
 The Allies consider the question of withdrawing troops from Korea a political one, to be taken up la ter at a higher level after an armistice has been signed.
 U. N. Willing
 Preston said the U. N. was will ing to accept agenda items already agreed upon as a complete agenda. and start actual cease-fire talks immediately.
 The U. N. Wednesday announ- ced it accepted two items. It didn't say what they were. No official mention has been made of agree ment on any other subjects.
 Despite the sharp cleavage in views. Preston said he would not call it a deadlock. He added;
 "As you know. meetings with Communists are long, drawn-out affairs. You will have to give us little more time. Tomorrow may be ! big day.
 Correspondents questioned Muck ols and Preston at length as to whether Kaesong is actually neu- tral. They pointed out that Red troops occupied the city moved into positions below the conference city. Nuckols replied:
 The physical presence of Com munist troops outside the neutral area has not influenced the con- ference in the slightest degree.