June 21, 1958

GIST OF TALKS FOURTH SESSION SUB-COMMITTEE ON VESSELS, COMMITTEE ON KOREAN CLAIMS
1. Time and Place:
June 21, 1958 (Saturday) 10:45 a.m.-11:50 a.m. at Room 411, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japanese Government
2. Conferees:
Korean side
Mr. LEE, Ho
Mr. CHOI, Kyu Hah
Mr. CHIN, Pil Shik
Mr. OHM, Young Dal
Mr. LIMB, Do Kyong
Mr. ROH, JaeWon
Mr. LEE, Won Ho
Japanese side
Mr. Kazuo AWASAWA
Mr. Tokichi TAKANO
Mr. Masanobu YABE
Mr. Go HANDA
Mr. Taizo ICHINOSE
Mr. Kiyoshi SUGANUMA
Mr. Mizuo KURODA
Mr. Minao TSUCHIYA
Mr. Chire KATSUTA
3. Gist of Talks:
Mr. Awasawa:
In the first place, I would like to refer to the view of the Japanese side with respect to the problem of the "141 fishing vessels." The Japanese side reached a conclusion that this Sub-committee proceeds with the agenda item as agreed upon between the both countries at the previous Korea-Japan Conference in 1951 with the understanding that, pending the higher levels decision on the matter, the Japanese side will not bring up the matter of "141 fishing vessels" at this Sub-committee.
Mr. Lee:
In retrospect, difficulties were brought about when the former contended to place proposed items (c) and (d) on the agenda of this Sub-committee. Since then, the Korean side has tried to prevail upon the Japanese side to withdraw the item it proposed, reasoning that even if the proposed items were taken up at this Sub-committee, no notable result would be expected to be attained, in view of the nature of the Sub-committee. At that, the Japanese side moved one stop backward and made our talks more complicated and difficult by pulling out a new question that the proposed agenda item (d) should include the problem of the so-called "141 fishing vessels," which has nothing to do with the present Sub-committee. This being the case, the only way to expediting our procrastinated talks is to dispose of the problem on how to handle the "141 fishing vessels", and, then, to proceed with the issue as to whether or not we would adopt the proposed items (c) and (d) as the agenda items of the Sub-committee on Vessels.
Mr. Awasawa:
The Japanese side, for its part, thinks that a reasonable way to the disposition of the problem of the "141 fishing vessels," is to shelve it to high levels and let them decide on it. And, then, we will proceed with the same agenda items as adopted in 1951 without taking up the matter on "141 fishing vessels" at this Sub-committee, pending the high level's decision.
Mr. Lee:
What do you specifically mean by referring the problem of the so-called "141 fishing vessels" to"the high levels?"
Mr. Awasawa"
I meant that the problem be submitted either to the Chief Delegates or to the delegations as a whole.
Mr. Lee:
I don't know how we can agree on the problem which is out of our competence and scope of our discussion.
Mr. Awasawa:
I did not mean it would necessarily require a concurrence of the Korean side.
Mr. Lee:
If so, may I take it that your position is that the Japanese side will unilaterally shelve the problem to its higher authorities for the decision of the matter in guestion?
Mr. Awasawa:
Of course, the high level of the Japanese side will have to consult or negotiate with that of the Korean side to make decision on the problems. In that sense, the both sides need an understanding at the high levels. However, the question of submitting this problem to higher levels from this Sub-committee will not necessarily require an agreement by Korean side.
Mr. Lee:
Will the problem of the so-called "141 fishing vessels" not be the subject of our further discussion at this Sub-committee, then ?
Mr. Awasawa:
I am afraid that you got me wrong. What I wanted to say was that the Japanese side would shelve the problem of "141 fishing vessels" pending the decision by the high level. Suppose the high level instruct us to take up the matter at this Sub-committee, we would have to bring back the problem to our talks.
Mr. Lee:
We have to make it clear at least at this moment that the Sub-committee on Vessels would no longer take up the problem.
Mr. Awasawa:
I can't see here that we will not take up the problem of the "141 fishing vessels" at this Sub-committee forever, because we, the members of this Sub-committee, do not have any way to know of what kind of decision the high level will make in this regard. What I can say now is that the Japanese side will not bring out the matter at this Sub-committee, pending the decision on the matter by the high level.
Mr. Lee:
I would like reserve, until next meeting, the view of the Korean side regarding the Japanese proposal.
Mr. Awasawa:
(Silence )
Mr. Lee:
Let me propose to bring to a close the meeting of today.
Mr. Awasawa:
I wish to say a word that the Japanese side is pretty anxious to get down to substantial matters as soon as possible.
Mr. Lee:
I fully share with your desire. I, too, have several times expressed by desire of initiating the discussions of the subtantial matters. Had the Japanese side not brought forward the problem of the so-called "141 fishing vessels," we would have been dealing with the subtantial problems long before.
Mr. Awasawa:
I suggest next Thursday(June 26) as the date for our next meeting.
Mr. Lee:
The date is inconvenient to us. How about 10:30 next Friday (June 27)?
Mr. Awasawa:
No objection.
Mr. Lee:
Any suggestion for press release ?
Mr. Awasawa:
Let us just the same way as we did at previous meetings.
Mr. Lee:
No objection.
(Thus Mr. Chin was named by the Korean side as its representative and Mr. Suganuma, by the Japanese side. )
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