(January
24,1958)
Comrade
Prime Minister Kim Il Sung,
We
have received both your letters, dated December 16 and
25, 1957.
We
have carefully studied the two plans put forward for
the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers from
Korea. We feel that it is more appropriate for the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea to initiate a request for
the withdrawal of foreign forces from Korea, then for
the Chinese government to respond to the request of
the Korean government. Therefore, we consider it better
to adopt the plan proposed in your letter of December
16. Regarding this plan, we now make some specific suggestions.
We have already consulted the Soviet government on these
suggestions, to which they have expressed full agreement.
The suggestions are now presented as follows, and we
request you and the Central Committee of the Korean
Workers' Party to consider whether they are appropriate.
1.
The Supreme People's Council of the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea would write a letter to the United
Nations, which would be put forward in the United
Nations by the Soviet Union, as a member of the United
Nations, to press for action by the United Nations.
But this method has one defect, that is it would treat
the whole United Nations as our belligerent, whereas
in actuality it is only a minority of U.N members
who have sent aggressive troops to form the U.N Forces.
Hence we suggest that the government of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea issue a public statement,
advancing the following proposals in accordance with
the basic propositions of the Korean-Chinese side
on the Korean question at the 1954 Geneva Conference:
(1) The U.N Forces and the Chinese People's Volunteers
are to withdraw from Korea simultaneously;
(2) South Korea and North Korea are to conduct consultations
on an equal footing, so as to establish and develop
economic and cultural relations between them and prepare
for free elections in all of Korea;
(3)
Within a defined period of time after the complete withdrawal
of foreign forces from South Korea and North Korea,
free elections are to take place throughout Korea under
the supervision of an organization composed of neutral
nations.
2.
The Chinese government would issue a statement right
after the public statement of the government of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea, supporting the
latter's stand and officially expressing its readiness
to consult with the government of the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea on the withdrawal of the Chinese people's
Volunteers in groups at set times, in the meantime demanding
that the governments of countries on the side of the
U.N. Forces take similar steps.
3.
Subsequently, the Soviet government would issue a statement
supporting the statements of the Korean and Chinese
governments and stressing that the governments of countries
on the side of the U.N. Forces should, like the Chinese
government, respond to the demand of the government
of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea; it would
also propose convening a conference of all countries
concerned to discuss the peaceful settlement of the
Korean question.
4.
During the forthcoming visit to Korea by Comrade Zhou
Enlai representing the Chinese government in mid-February
this year, the Korean and Chinese governments may announce
in a joint communiqué that the Chinese government has
obtained, through consultation, the agreement of the
Chinese People's Volunteers to withdraw from Korea and
that the latter have decided to do so in groups before
the end of 1958. The Korean and Chinese governments
may state in the joint communiqué that the withdrawal
of the Chinese People's Volunteers from Korea prior
to that of the U.N. Forces is for the purpose of easing
tension and facilitating consultations between South
and North Korea on an equal footing for the peaceful
reunification of Korea. Therefore, the U.N. Forces ought
to take similar actions. Meanwhile, the Chinese People's
Volunteers would issue a statement to the effect that
the Chinese people and the Korean people depend on each
other like lips and teeth and will stand together through
thick and thin, and that the withdrawal of the Chinese
People's Volunteers from Korea by no means signifies
disregard of the interests of the Korean and Chinese
peoples, who share the same weal and woe. If Syngman
Rhee and the United States dare renew provocations and
cross the armistice line, the Chinese People's Volunteers
will, at the request of the Korean government, unhesitatingly
fight once again shoulder to shoulder with the Korean
People's Army to repulse aggression.
5.
We have provisionally worked out the timetable for
the withdrawal of the Chinese People's Volunteers
from Korea as follows:
(1) From March to April 1958, after the publication
of the joint communiqué of the Korean and Chinese
governments, one third of the Chinese People's Volunteers
will be withdrawn and completely replaced by the Korean
People's Army at the first defense line, while the
remaining two thirds will be stationed at the second
defense line;
(2)
From July to September 1958 the second third will be
withdrawn;
(3)
The final third is to be withdrawn before the end of
1958.
6.
Following publication of the joint communiqué of the
Korean and Chinese governments, Switzerland and Sweden
on the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission most likely
will again ask for the abolition of the Supervisory
Commission. Thereupon we can, on the ground that the
U.N. Forces are not yet withdrawn, request that they
leave a minimum number of persons at Panmunjom to carry
out supervision. However, we must be prepared for their
departure in disregard of our request.
Please
study the above-mentioned points and give us a reply.
Please
accept my salutation.
Mao
Zedong
January
24,1958
(From
the draft of the telegram)
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