Evening star., 1953-12-07
U. 5. Delegate Skips
Korea Talks With
Reds 10 See Rhee
By the Asseeioted Pres.

PANMUNJOM, Dec. THE
chief United States delegate un-
exrectedly skipped today's nego-
tiations with the Reds on a Ko-
rean peace conference and in
stead met with South Korean
President Syngman Rhee at
Seoul, possibly to talk over the
dragging talks.
AS Ambassador Arthur H.
Dean talked with Mr.. Rhee,
Kenneth Young sat in for him
at Panmunjom in a meeting he
termed "a move forward"
Mr. Young said all points of
the negotiations were discussed
by both sides but gave no indi-
cation of any concrete progress.
Before Mr.. Dean met with
MI. Rhee, he talked with Ellis
Q. Briggs, United States ambas-
sador to Korea, on what Mr..
Young termed urgent business.
Mr.. Young declined to reveal
the subject of discussion.
Mr.. Dean represents 16 United
Nations and South Korea in the
efforts to set up peace con-
ference. South Korea has been
outspoken in it's ideas on such
a conference, occasionally differ
ing with Mr.. Deans line of nego-
tiation.
80 More Refuse to Return.
In other developments:
l. Thirty more South Korean
war prisoners refused to return
home, making a total of 100 who
have snubbed interviews with
South Korean officers. Not one
South Korean has returned in
the five days of explanations.
2. The head of the Neutral
Nations Repatriation Commits
sion said the Communists and
the U. N. command should de-
eide what to do with POWs who
refuse to go home if the peace
conference does not meet soon.
The U. N. c. insists that by
the true terms they must be re-
leased as civilians on January %
even if the conference is not
under way; the Reds insist that
they be held until the conference
discusses their fate.
The armistice terms give a
conference until January % to
deal with the prisoners. but
there is little indication it will
get started by then.
3, Air Force Maj. Gen. J. K.
Lacey, United States represent
ative on the Joint Military Arm
istice Commission. accused the
Communists of lying when they
seI1 all allied war prisoners have
been released or handed over to
the custodian Indian command.
Gen. Lacey did not give any
specific figures on how many al
lied prisoners might still be in
Red prisons, but said: I'm the
face of evidence I charge
your side with violation of the
armistice agreement (and
false statements. :"
Interviewers Still Hopeful.
Although the U. N. interviews
continued drawing a blank to-
day, allied officers still had hope
that some of the remaining 1853
South Koreans would decide to
return. They felt that the most
solid Communists had been sent
up first, for propaganda effect,
and that some of the others
might not be so determined.
At the present rate. the allies
probably will begin explanations
to % balky Americans and one
Briton about December IA or
Is, after the South Koreans
are finished.
In the peace conference nego-
tiations, Mr.. Young reviewed the
Communist position in detail
"to take stock as to where our
discussions are going"
Mr.. Young, who is the State
Department. Northeast Asia ex-
pert, told newsmen after the
meeting that the Reds replied to
his summary with a long. repe-
titious and essentially propagan-
da statement" which did not say
anything mot heard before"
The dragging negotiations left
Indian 1t. Gen. K. S. Thimayya.
repatriation commission chair
man, uncertain what he would
do with the remaining prisoners
If the conference does not be-
gin soon.
Gen. Thimayya said he would
seek guidance from his govern
ment in New Delhi. Prime Min
lister Nehru already has indicated
he feels the two sides should
take up the question again.