Evening star., 1953-07-12

Rhee- Robertson Settlement on Their
Recent Discussions. Poge A.
lean presidential Envoy Walter
S. RobertSon'S earlier expressed
optimism changed to concern
because of an American corre-
spondent's report that South
Korean President Syngman Rhee
had said he still would not
accept an armistice.
Meanwhile United Nations
armistice negotiators met Com
munist truce delegates in Pan
munjom for the third session in
a row on final arrangements for
cease-fire.
This time the allied team was
fortified with the agreement be-
tween Mr.. Robertson and Mr..
Rhee.
Two Sessions Held.
The teams met for so minutes
in two sessions today, then re-
cessed until II am. tomorrow
Go pm. Sunday EDIT. No an
nouncement was made of the
subject of the secret sessions.
There was no immediate Red
reaction to the United States
South Korean agreement.
The 300-word joint statement
by Mr.. Robertson and Mr.. Rhee
did not say specifically the South
Korean president would join in
or even cooperate in a truce.
Mr.. Robertson went beyond
the formal paper, however, when
he told newsmen before it was
released that I'VE could not make
the statement if we had not had
assurance that President Syng-
man Rhee would collaborate in
the armistice."
Mr.. Robertson met MIR. Rhee
in 25-minute farewell session
at the South Korean presidential
mansion this morning. Shortly
afterward he boarded a plane for
Pusan, the temporary ROK cap
ital on the southeast coast.
On Way Back to u. S.
Later he was to fly to Tokyo,
en- route to the United States.
Just before he left Seoul,
newsmen told Mr.. Robertson
that an interview with Mr.. Rhee
by correspondent Jim Lucas of
the Scripps Howard newspapers
quoted the South Korean presi-
dent as saying:
I'VE will not accept the arm
istice. but we have agreed not
to obstruct it for a period 0f
three months. President Eisen-
hover wanted us to accept an
armistice in toto, but this is as
far as we can go. They (the
AmericanS) seem absolutely Ger
tain that they can unity Korea
and get all the Chinese out of
this country in three months.
I'VE don't believe it but we
have agreed to wait three
months"
Mr.. Robertson appeared dis
turbed. He refused to comment
on the interview but newsmen
overheard him say to a South
Korean aide:
This puts us in an impossible
position . we had an agree
ment."
oMcCardle Shocked"
Mr.. Robertson told corre-
spondents at the airport few
minutes before the joint state
ment was released:
Il was put on my honor by
the Republic of Korea govern
ment to make no comment to
the press until 10 am. today.
/ shall keep my word. We knew
we could trust the integrity of
our press not to publish the en-
bargoed statement we issued
until the Sunday papers.
Il can't tell you how sorry
am about this"
Mr.. RobertSon'S press aide, As
siStant Secretary of State Carl
McCardle, said he himself was
shocked" at the Rhee interview
Rhee Unavailable.
Mr.. Rhee was not available for
comment this morning. His Of
flee said he had left the presi-
dental mansion after his Care
we'll talk with Mr.. Robertson and
drove out of the city to look over
possible sites for a monument
9 or monuments to Korean war
dead. His Office said it did not
know when he would return.
The 78-year-old South Korean
chief executive long has baked
at any truce that left his ra-
ton divided with Chinese Red
troops in the north.
The allies and the Reds have
threshed out an armiStice draft
in two years of negotiations, but
the Reds have demanded before
signing solid assurances from
the allies that Mr.. Rhee will
honor its terms.
Won't Free More POWs.
The text Of the joint Rhee-
Robertson announcement was
couched in general terms but it
Indicated:
1-Mr. Rhee promised not to
turn loose the remaining 5000
anti Communist North Korean
prisoners until they had been