Evening star., 1953-10-05
NeutraIs Take Action
To Start Postponed
POW Explanations
BY the Associated Press

PANMUNJOM. Oct. 5.-The
Neutral Nations Repatriation
Commission moved today to get
underway the long-delayed ex-
plantations to some 22,600 anti
Red war prisoners why they
should return home.
The NNRC asked the allied
command to start work on both
temporary and permanent ia
cilities where Red representa-
tiveS will try to talk the 1900
Koreans and 14,700 Chinese into
returning to communism.
The interviews could begin
within a week at the temporary
site.
The truce agreement called for
the interviews to begin by Sep
tember 26 and end 90 days later
December "a.
However, the target date was
lost in a furry of haggling over
the interview buildings.
80 Buildings Demanded.
The Communists have de-
manded 80 permanent-type
structures, which are to be built
by the U. N. command.
They, in turn, were building
sites for the allies to interview
$50 allied POWs-including %
Americans and / Briton-Who
have refused to return home.
The Indian command, which
is in charge of the balky POWs
of both sides, today took over 10
structures built by the Reds for
UNC interviewerS.
Although the UNC, too, prob
ably could begin interviews with
in a week, it apparently is in no
hurry. An allied high officer said
explanations probably would not
start before two weeks.
May Start in Week.
Communist Newsman Wilfred
Burchett, sometimes an unofficial
Red spokesman, told reporters
today the Communists presum-
ably would begin their explana-
tions in a week provided it's
temporary centers are ready.
Meanwhile, South Koreans
acting foreign minister, Cho
Chung Whan, threatened again
today that his government
would order the ROK army "to
fight them (the Indians) if they
continue to act hostile to u.s."
Indian guards have killed
three POWs and wounded 10
in camp disturbances.
Mr.. Cho's first threat Satur-
day was an official protest to
Indian Maj. Gen. S. P. P. Thorat,
relayed through Gen. Maxwell
Taylor, United States 9th Army
commander. His second warning
was given before the National
Assembly in Seoul.
The allied command pinned
all blame for the delay in ex-
plantations on the Reds.
Sites Quickly Built.
The UNC said it had an ex-
planation site built to Indian
specifications completed four
days before the interviews were
to begin September 26. 1t said
that on September 81 the NNRC
requested more facilities, which
were started the same day, but
work was halted one day later
at the request of the NNRC.
The allies said the NNRC last
Friday submitted designs for
three new explanation areas and
were told they would take one
week, three weeks and four weeks
to complete.
Red China's Peiping radio to-
day charged the Americans"
with deliberately delaying the
beginning by continuing to
refuse to provide the required
facilities"
Meanwhile, time was running
out in the scheduled 90-day ex-
planation period and the Indian
chairman of the five-nation
NNRC said he would make no
further requests to the U.N.C.
for an extension.
Truce Terms Specific.
The officer, 1t. Gen. K. S.
Thimayya, said last night that
the truce terms are specific on
the Christmas Eve limit and that
any extension would have to be
negotiated in the joint Allied
Red Military Armistice Commis-
sion.
Some observers Speculated
that the explanations might
never begin, begging down in an
indefinite wrangle in the joint
commission.
Others suggested that the
Communists might give up the
POWs entirely after charging
they never had a fair chance to
make their explanations.