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(Classification) Desp. No. 301
From SEOUL ~

MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION

SUBJECT: Communist Proposals for Commercial and Cultural Interchange between
North and South Korea.

PARTICIPANTS: Ambassador Walter P. McConaughy
HARTMANN, Counsellor of Legation, Swiss Senior Delegate
to the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission
Elmer HUIEN, Second Secretary of Embassy
DATE: December 13, 1960

PLACE: American Embassy, Seoul

 

Mr. Hartmann said that when he been assigned to his position the Swiss
Government had instructed him that in addition to his duties as Swiss Delegate to
the NNSC, he should study and report on the prevailing pelitical situation in the
peninsula and that he should study whether or not the contimed activity of the
NNSC and Swiss participation in the NNSC were desirable. Ambassador MoConaughy
responded that, as he was sure Mr. Hartmann was aware, the United States Government
considered that the NNSC, despite its difficulties and frustrations, was making
a useful contribution in various indirect ways, and directly by avoiding @& further
preakdown of the Armistice Agreement. We felt its activity should be continued.

Mr. Hartmann said that in pursuance of the broader aspects of his position
ound himself involved in some private diplomatic negotiations.

had been approached by his Czech colleague, Major General Chyle,
on the MISC. This Caech delegate was a career diplomat who had spent fifteen
years as consul in Cleveland. He was possibly not a convinced Commmnist, but with
typical Czech opportunism he cleverly and adroitly followed the prevailing
political trend. the Csech had asked for Mr. Hartmann's opinion on whether it
was possible to initiate cultural and economic interchanges between the north and
South Korea and whether, in pursuance of this objective, the delegates from north

ublic of Korea might confer at Panmunjom, Mr. said

ly felt very strongly that

to raise these points with someone
return to the subject at a later time. Mr. Hartmann
delegate had not pressed their conversation beyond this point.

The same question had been raised en two other eccasions by Major General CHU
Chang-jun (JOO Chang-Jeon ) Delegate to the MM.
Mr. only a capable soldier
but also a ve Chu had introduced the subject
at a luncheon in Mr. quarter At one point this meting became quite
strained when, after Clim had held forth at length on the puppet nature ef the
ROK Government as a creature ef the Americans, Mr. Hartmann had asked whether it |

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