Evening star., 1953-07-27
Prisoner Repatriation to Be Completed in 2 Months

TeTt of agreement on re-
pGtriGtion OF prisoners of t0Gr
of the Korean conflict:
Within two months after the
armiStice agreement becomes ef-
fective both sides shall, without
offering any hindrance, directly
repatriate and hand over in
groups all those prisoners of war
in its custody who insist on re-
patriation to the side to which
they belonged at the time of
capture. Repatriation shall be
accomplished in accordance with
the related provisions of Article
III of the draft armistice agree
ment. In order to expedite the
repatriation process of such per-
sonnel. each side shall. prior to
the signing of the armistice
agreement, exchange the total
numbers, by nationalities, of per-
Sonnel to be repatriated direct.
Each group delivered to the other
side shall be accompanied by
rosters, prepared by nationality,
to include name, rank (if any
and internment or military serial
number.
Both sides agree to hand over
all those remaining prisoners Of
war who are not directly repat-
rated to the Neutral Nations
Repatriation Commission for dis
position in accordance with the
following provisions:
TERMS OF REFERENCE
FOR NEUTRAL NATIONS
REPATRIATION COMMISSION.
GENERAL.
l. In order to ensure that all
prisoners of war have the oppor-
tunity to exercise their right to
be repatriated following an
armistice, Sweden, Switzerland,
Poland, Czechoslovakia and In
dia shall each be requested by
both sides to appoint a member
to a Neutral Nations Repatria-
ton Commission which shall
be established to take custody
in Korea of those prisoners of
war who, while in the custody
of the OBTAINING powers. nave
not exercised their right to be
repatriated. The Neutral Nations
Repatriation Commission shall
establish it's headquarters with
in the demilitarized zone in the
vicinity of Panmunjom, and shall
station subordinate bodies Of
the same composition as the
Neutral Nations Repatriation
Commission at those locations
at which the repatriation COM
mission assumes custody Of
prisoners of war. Representa-
tives of both sides shall be per-
mitted to observe the operations
of the repatriation commission
and it's subordinate bodies to
include explanations and inter-
views.
2. Sufficient armed forces and
any other operating personnel
required to assist the neutral
nations repatriation commission
in carrying out its functions and
responsibilities shall be provided
exclusively by India, whose rep
resentative shall be the umpire
in accordance with the pro-
visions of Article 1872 of the &C.
neva Convention, and shall also
be chairman and executive agent
of the Neutral Nations Repatri-
alton Commission. Representa-
tives from each of the other four
powers shall be allowed staff as
sistants in equal number not
to exceed so each. When any
of the representatives of the
neutral nations is absent for
some reason, that representative
shall designate an alternate rep
representative of his own ma
tionality to exercise his functions
and authority. The arms of all
personnel provided for in this
paragraph shall be limited to
military policy type small arms.
3. No force or threat of force
shall be used against the prison.
ers of war specified in Para
graph l above to prevent or
effect their repatriation, and no
violence to their persons or af-
front to their dignity or self
respect shall be permitted in any
manner for any purpose what
soever (but see Paragraph z be-
low). This duty is enjoined on
and entrusted to the Neutral Ma
tions Repatriation Commission.
This commission shall ensure
that prisoners of war shall at all
times be treated humanely in
accordance with the specific pro-
visions of the Geneva Conven-
ton, and with the general spirit
of that convention.
OF WAR.
4. All prisoners of war who
have not exercised their right of
repatriation following the effec-
tive date of the armistice agree
ment shall be released from the
military control and from the
custody of the OBTAINING side as
soon as practicable and, in all
cases, within so days subsequent
to the effective date of the armi-
Stice agreement to the Neutral
Nations Repatriation CommiS-
sion at locations in Korea to be
deSi0nated hv the fIeta ininc side