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ox referring to the new government at Seoul the emphasis would be placed on its |
more representative character than the former regime.

Dr. Liem said that he had had a number of conferences in New York with
members of his Own delegation including both the Korean Ambassador and Minister
to Washington. He said several ideas had been thrown out for discussion and that
he would like to report one of these ideas which he thought was significant. He
said that they had discussed how the friends of Korea should react to the
anticipated proposal that north Korean representatives be invited to participate
in the debate on the Korean item. Dr. Liem indicated that he thought consider-
ation should be given to 4 positive rather than a negative approach to this
problem. He said that he had drafted a statement to be circulated to Korea's
friends in New York which he had submitted to Seoul for his government's consider-
ation. This statement would say that the north Koreans are under foreign
influence and that since they had made their position on unification quite clear,
there is no need to invite them to participate in the debate. Dr. Liem said
that he would like to say also that the UN should, before taking up the question
of an invitation to north Korea, put concrete conditions up to north Korea i.e.
to stop challenging the: competence of the UN and to accept whatever solution is
reached at the UN. If these conditions are not met then there should be no
invitation. Dr. Liem said that some of the members of his delegation including
a member of the opposition Democratic Party were inclined to this idea. He said
that he had not, however, received any response from his government as yet.

Dr. Liem said that the other jdeas which had been put forward in the discussions
were obvious ones and he would not mention them at this time.

Mr. Parsons asked whether Dr. Liem thought that when we got closer to the
Korean debate that there was not danger that some of the newly independent
countries might come up with some ideas on Korea which were sponsored by the
wrong persons. Dr. Liem agreed that there was some danger of these countries
taking such initiatives. There is also he said a lack of knowledge about Korea
on their part. Mr. Parsons said that this was what particularly bothered him.
Dr. Liem said that he thought this problem was being successfully countered by
his colleagues in New York. There was a point beyond which, however, he could
not be certain whether they were making the kind of progress that they would
like to believe they were making. He pointed to the unpredictable nature of
Assembly developments and said that if the Korean question followed an item which
raised emotions this could affect adversely the consideration of the Korean item.
Dr. Liem said that he was glad that they had been given the extra time provided
by the recess to prepare for the Korean question. However, he realized that there
were risks involved in delaying consideration of the Korean item.

Mr. Parsons said that the new circumstances in Korea shoulda contribute to 4
revitalization of the Korean position in the UN. On the other hand, we were
aware that the debate in the General Assembly would take place under unpredictable
conditions. He recalled the spectacle this past fall of the newly independent
countries jumping from item to item as well as the volatile nature of the session
which had just concluded. Mr. Parsons said this was why we wanted to be in close

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