S/PV.508 Security Council

1 think we must allow Mr. Malik to speak now. Mr. MALIK (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (Irallslatcd jram Russian): Perhaps we might agree to have consecutive interpretation into English only, since it has occasionally been necessary to make corrections in the English interpretation. That procedure might perhaps make our work easier.

It will not work out. 1 think that the rcpresentative of the Soviet Union should speak now. As is known, as far back as 8 August [448th meeting], the USSR delegation submitted to the Security Council a proposai [SI1679] that the Un!ted States Air Force should immediately cease its inhuman and barbarous attacks on the civilian population and populated places in Korea. The United States delegation prevented the Security Couneil from adopting the resolution at that time. At subsequent meetings on 6 [496th meeting] and 7 [497th meeting] September the USSR delegation again urged the Couneil to discuss the question of putting an immediate end to the inhuman and barbarous attacks of the United States :\ir Force on the eivilian population and peaceful localities in Korea and to adopt the draft resolution submitted by the Soviet Union on that matter. Under obvious pressure from the United States delegation, however, some members of the Security Couneil once again for ail practical purposes shirked discussion of the question, and the Couneil did riot take the necessary decision. In view of the ceaseless strafing of the civilian population and the bombing attacks by he United States Air Force on peaceful towns and localities in Korea - which represent a gross violation of the generally accepted rules of international law - the USSR delegation believes that it is the dutY of the Securitv Couneil to take urgent measures î:o put an immediate end to these bombing raids of the United States Air Force in Korea. That these barbarous attacks are still going on is c1early shown not only by the communications sent to the Security Council on 7 September 1950 [SI1778/Rev.l] and 18 September 1950 [S/1800] by the Foreign Minister of the People's Democratic Republic of Korea, \fr. Pak Hen En, but also by reports from MacArthur's Headquarters confirming the barbarous bombing attacks by the United States Air Force on the civilian population of Korea. The cablegram sent by Mr. Pak Hen En on 7 September 1950 states that during the period succeeding the submission of the first statement of the Government of the People's Denlocratic Republic of Korea on this question on 5 August 1950 [SI1674], nornerous fresh instances. cf barbarous deeds by the United States Air Force against the peaceful population of Korea have taken place: bombings, strafing and complete destruction of towns and villages where there have n~er been any military targets, deliberate firing upon the peaceful population, and the systematic annihilation of the national property of Korea. The cablegram reports that "as a result of United States air raids on Pyongyang during the period 7 August to 7 Sepl'!~ber, 3,232 houses have been destroyed, 450 peaceful inhabitants have been killed and 235 perSOftl have bœn injurE.d in the city. The resi- The city of Chongjin, with a population of 120,000, was raided on 19 August by over sixtY United States hombers, which dropped 1,012 bombs on the city, as a result of which 90 per cent of the city was destroyed. As 1 stated at a previous meeting, the cablegmm reports that the United States Air Force in Korea daily strafes roads, destroying peasants' carts, buses carrying peaceful citizens, automobiles, passenger trains, slcamers. etc. United States dive-homhers ruar over Korean villages, spraying them with showers 0 f b!lIlets {rom their machine-guns. Korean peasants working in the rice fields and fishermen engaged in fishing are bOlilbed and machine-gunned from the air. The United States Air Force is setting fire to the ripening crops and is converting extensive areas into deserts. The cablegram states that "aU these barbarous misdeeds of the United States interventionists in Korea are a gross violation of the universally recognized rules of international law, and dearly display the cynical falsehood of Acheson's recent statement that the attacks of the Ur.ited·States Air Force on Korea were directed exclusively against military targets". A subsequent cablegram {rom the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People's Democratie Republic of Korea, which was received on 18 September [5/1800], reports that in a raid on Pyongyang on 16 September the United States Air Force bombed the central hospital of the town in spite of dearly visible Red Cross emblems on its roof and on the ground beside il. As a result of this bombardment eleven persons were killed, forty-one persons seriously injured and ~qvere damage was caused to the hospital buildings. In reporting fresh facts of barbarous bombing by the United States Air Force in Korea, the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Korea again urges the Security Council to take immediate steps to put an end to such activities by the United States interventionists in Korea. The barbarous bombing in Korea, the mass l11urder of the civilian population of that country, the devastation of towns and villages, the destruction of the crops of the Korean peasants and other similar savage acts by the United States interventionists in Korea constitute a glaring violation by the United States Government of the Fourth Hague Convention of 1907 concerning the laws and customs of war on land and the Ninth Hague Convention of 1907 contcrning bombardment by naval forces. 4 ((Decides: ((To call UPO;, the Government of the United States of America to cease, and henceforth forbid, the bombardment by air forces or by other means of peaceful towns and inhabited centres and also the machinegunning from the air of the peaceful population of Korea, ((To instruct the Secretary-General of the United Nations to bring this resolution of the Security Council without delay to the knowledge of the Government of the United States of America." ln introducing this draft resolution, the USSR delegation presses for its adoption by the Security Council, which will make it possible for real and effective steps to he taken to end the barbarous bombing of the population of Korea and of peaceful towns and populated places in that country. Mr. GROSS (United States of America) : The Soviet Union representative has reintroduced a draft resolution substantially in the same form in which it was previously introduced. Jt has brought out no new point other than certain allegations along the same lines which he has been pressing in this Council for sorne weeks. 1 should like to say that in my brief statement 1 shall not repeat the major points which 1 made in the Council wl.en this matter first came up on 7 September of this year [497th meeting]. 1 think, however, in view of the statements which have been made by the Soviet Union representative this afternoon, that 1 should like to Tefer to several points specifica1ly. The SC(:retary of State of the United States, to whom reference was specifically made by Mr. Malik this afternoon, said on 6 September that peaceful villages in Korea were being used to cover the tanks of the i11- vading army j that civilian dress was used to disguise the soldiers of aggression. Those two statements have not been denied in any way by the Soviet Union representative, nor have they been denied by the author of the letter to which the Soviet Union representative referred. Similarly, in General MacArthur's thir~ report ta the Security Council, which is set forth in document S/1756 of 2 September, he stated - and this has not been denied- "The enemy hides vast quantities of military equipment in civilîan dwellings, resulting in the necessity to fire and destroy such dweIlings when such information is firm. However," - General MacArthur pointed out - "the problem of avoiding the killing of innocent civilians and damages to the civilian economy is continually present and given my personal attention. The United Nations forces are urgently endeavouring to restrict destruction to the established military forces of the invader." The third point 1 should like to make relates to another matter which 1 pressed in this Council on 7 September [497th meeting] but·which has not yet heen referred to by the representative of the Soviet Union and is not referred to in the letter from the North Korean authorities to which he refers, although it is, perhaps, the most significant point of all. It is siroply that there has been, since 29 August, a letter from the President of the International Red Cross addressed ta the President of the Securitv Conncil which 1 read into the record on 7 September ànd which 1 shall not read again today. It remains unanswered and has not even been referred to by the representative of the Soviet Union, as if it were a completely irrelevant factor in this matter. In that letter, the Council will recall, the President of the International Red Cross advised the SC(:urity Council that, despite the fact that the International Red Cross had been freely permitted into the southern part of Korea to perform its traditional functlOns of protecting prisoners of war, looking after non-combatants and protC(:ling the interests and welfare of 6 The President of the International Red Cross pointed out in his letter that his delegate, Mr. Jean Courvoisier, who was then in Tientsin, was waiting for an entry permit into North Korea. That was on 29 August. The President of the International Red Cross stated that another delegate, Mr. Jacques de Reynier, then in Geneva, was awaiting an entry permit into North Korea as weIl as a transit visa through the Soviet Union; and he conduded his letter by saying: "Despite all our efforts for obtaining entry permits into North Korea, no affirmative reply has yet been received. The International Committee, whilst renewing its independent efforts to obtain the entry of its delegates to the territory of the People's Democratie Republic of Korea, appreciates any impartial support for its aims, which are exclusively the protection of war victims.·' How infinitely much better it would be for those who have a genuine and sincere interest in the welfare~ of the people who are being discussed here this afternoon to make it possible for the International Red Cross to gain access to the areas where these acts have been allged and, 1 submit, falsely aii~ged. 1 thereiore again urge the representative of the Soviet Union to take this matter into account, and hope that his Government will use its influence with the North Korean authorities to permit access to the International Committee of the Red Cross, even at this late hour.

As 1 have no further speakers on my list, 1 should like to say a few words on behalf of the UNITED KINGDOM delegation. As 1 think 1 said on a previous occasion, we believe that responsibility for the continuance of the war in Korea, with aU its horrors, rests with those who caused it. AU that the North Korean authorities have to do in order to spare their feIlow citizens from further bombings is to sue for peace. Now that their cause, thanks to the magnificent victories of the United Nations forces, seems to be quite hopeless, perhaps this is what they will decide to do. It is high time. Until then, it is obvious - to us, at any rate - that bombing of military targets in North Korea cannot be abandoned, since no commander can be expected to allow the 7 Speaking as PRESIDENT, I should like ta say that I do not know whether it is now in arder for me ta put the USSR dmft resolution to the vote. If it is, however, we could dispose of this ite!:.1 .~ry q:.!ickly. Mr. MALIK (Union of Soviet Socialist Repubtics) (trcmslated jram Russian) : I should like ta be allowed ta comment briefly on the statement made by the representative of the United States. The United States representative's statement pursucs the obvious aim of justifying and covering up the barbarous attacks of the United States Air Force in Korea. I mean the United States Air Force and not the air force of the United Nations. There is no air force of the United Nations. In Korea the United States Air Force is acting under the cover of the United Nations flag. That is common knowledge and the USSR de1egation believes in calling things by their names, without any hypocrisy. The United States representative's reference ta the letter from the International Red Cross has no bearing on the question under discussion. Ihave already stated so once before at the meeting of the Security Council, when the United States representative mentioned that same Ietter. That letter was sent ta the meeting during the last day of my term of office as President. It was of an informational nature and was circulated ta all members of the Security Council. If the United States representative is so keenly interested in that letter, he could have taken any appropriate steps. In fact, the real aim of his repeated reference ta that letter is ta divert the attention of world public opinion and of the Security Council from the atrocities perpetrated by the United States Air Force in Korea. That is quite obvious because the letter bears no relation ta the question under discussion here. The issue before the Council is to take measures ta put an immediate end ta the barbarous bombing attacks of the United States Air Force on the dvilian population of Korea. The question is quite clear. The Council is discussing the gross violation of the international agreements of the Hague Convention, which was signed by the Government of the United States and not by the International Red Cross. That is why the reference ta the Red Cross is in this case unfounded. As regards the remarks made by the United States representative on the influence of the USSR Government, that representative is aware that the USSR Government submitted a complete proposai [5/1668] to the Security Council on the peaceful settlement of the Korean question as far back as 4 August [483rd meeting] . When submitting that proposaI, through its delegation ta the Security Council, the Government of the USSR energetically urged the Council to tackle immediately the task of securing a peaceful settlement Consequently the responsibility for the failure of the endeavours to secure a peaceful settlement of the Korean question rests with the Governmer,t of the United States. The United States representative's reference to the influence of the USSR Government is also aimed at diverting attention from the question under discussion and at covering up the barbarous attacks of the United States Air Force on the civiHan population of Korea. That is how matters stand in facto As regards the remarks of the United Kingdom representative, it is quite obvious that the representatives of the United States and of the United Kingdom speak in the Security Council in favour of continuing the barbarous attacks of he United States Air Force on the civiHan population of Korea. That cannot be covered up by any talk about military objectives, the war and the guilt of those who started the war, or any similarly irrelevant argumentation. The war in Korea was started by those who interfered in the internaI afiairs in Korea, in other words by foreign interventionists, namely, the military forces of the United States sent to Korea on Truman's orders. Thus it is quite clear who has intervened in Korea. There can be no two opinions on that question. As regards the allegations that tanks were concealed in dwellings in Korea, they are too ridiculous and absurd to be worth refuting. As regards the assertions that only military targets were bombed, these are refuted by the telegram to which 1 have referred (S/1778jRev.l), in which every member of the Security Council can read the following: "All these barbarous misdeeds of the United States . interventionists in Korea are a gross violation of the universally recognized rules of international law, and clearly display the cynical falsehood of Acheson's recent statement that the attacks of the United States Sir Benegal N. RAU (India): Before the President puts this draft resolution to the 'Vote, l should like to explain briefly the position of my delegation. 1 stated on a previous occasion [497th meeting] that reports of large-scale bombing in Korea had been causing much anxiety in India, but we cannot assume without investigation that the reports are aIl correct, nor can we condemn the United States Government on the basis of such an assumpti.on. My delegation will therefore vote against the draft resolution which seeks to condemn, without any investigation being made. Mr. LACOSTE (France) (translated Irom Fre-nclt) : The French delegation believes that the Council cannot consider the one-sided and unsupported complaints of the North Korean authorities. Ever since the beginning of this affair the North Korean authorities have consistently ignored the appeals and injunctions of the United Nations. They have remembered the existence of the international Organization only when they wished to bombard it with protests against the consequences of their own attack. Finally, they have refused to allow access to their territory to the International Red Cross, which could have helped the unfortunate civilian population and brought impartial evidence in the matters of which the North Korean "authorities are now complaining. r' In the circumstances, the French delegation will vote .against the USSR draft resolution.

The question is: Does the Security Council approve the draft resolution, contained in document S/1812 submitted by the representative of the Soviet Union? Mr. Hsu (China) : 1 should like ta make a statement on behalf of my delegation. Some of the modern implements of war, including bombings from the air, undoubtedly have the tcndency to encroach upon the principle of humanity and undennine the foundation on which the laws of war have been developed. My Government is no less concerned with such a tendency than it is mindful of eight years of physical sufferings from Japanese air bombardment during our resistance against Japanese aggression from 1937 to 1945, when thousands of civilians were killed or wounded and The United Nations is imposing military sanctions in Korea against an aggressor, or the cat's-paw of an aggressor. It is possible that sorne may think that no restrictions should be placed upon the activities of its armed forces. Such a view, if it were ever entertained, should not be countenanced. Even an individual criminal has certain rights as a human being that should be respected. In the case of a guilty nation, still less should punishment be indiscriminate. This is because in a nation there are always people who are not parties, indeed who are even opposed, to the commission of the crime. This is true in democratic countries, where national policies are supposed to be publicly formulated. It is even more true in a country like North Korea, where a minority has, with the aid of powerful neighbours, imposed itself upon the people. Thus my Government would weleome any honest move to ameliorate war sufferings anywhere, including a. country like the Soviet Union-sponsored totalitarian North Korea. But the question is: Is the Soviet Union, which brings the question before the Council, honest? My answer is a definite "no". Looking over the draft resolution submitted by it, 1 find no trace of any move that savours of honesty. The draft resolution contains no suggestion as to how the situation should he met. 1t does not even propose a commission to investigate and make recommendations. What it contains is nothing other than accusations without proof and condemnation without investigation. It constitutes in itself an act of dishonesty. For this reason 1 shall cast a vote against it on behalf of my Government.

Am 1 now in order in putting the proposaI to a vote? If so, the Council will now vote •on the draft resolution submitted by the representative of the USSR set forth in document S/1812 entitled "Inhuman, barbarous bombing of the peaceful population, towns and inhabited centres in Korea by the United States Air Force". A vote was taken by show of hands, as follows: In favour: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Against : China, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, France, India, Norway, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America. Abstaining: Yugoslavia. The draft resolution was rejected by 9 votes to one, with one abstention. Responsibility for the consequences of the barbarous bombing carried out by the United States Air Force in Korea lies wholly with the United States Government, and also with those members of the Security Council which have prevented the Couocil from adopting the USSR proposaI calling upon the United States Govern- ment to cease and henceforth forbid the barbarous bombardment by air forces or other means of peace- fuI towt"') and inhabited centres and also the machine- gunning from the air of the peaceful population of Korea. Mr. SUNDE (Norway): When the Coundl, at a pre- vious meeting, discussed for the first time the USSR draft resolution, 1 explained the vote of my delegation [497th meeting] and 1 saw no reason to repeat today what 1 said then. But in connexion with the statement which has just been made by the representative of the Soviet Unim" 1 wish to state that the sponsor of the draft resolution has still not produced any semblance of a proof of bombardl&lent by United Nations air forces in violation of internationallaw.

That exhausts the present agenda of the CounciI. 1 think the only thing we can now discuss is when we meet again. As the representatives are aware, at 12 midnight tonight 1 lay down, with great relief, my burden as President, and the President from that moment on will be the representative of the United States, Mr. Austin. 1 should have thought the best thing to do now would be to adjourn sine die, and then either to allow the new President to summon the Council when he thinks fit or, alternatively, to reserve the right of any representative to call for a meeting of the Council at twenty-four hours' notice to discuss any item that he thinks should be discussed. Mf'. MA'lï~ (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) (translt:ted fram Russian) : As regards the observation of the representative of Norway, 1 should like to advise him ta read the Security Councii documents with care. He will find that these documents contain concrete confirmation of the barbarous bombing of peaceful towns and of the civilian population of Korea by the United States Air Force. Unless 1 hear any comment, 1 shaH assume that the Council agrees to adjourn.