Tokyo, August 5, 1958

GIST OF TALKS TWELVTH SESSION SUB-COMMITTEE ON VESSELS, COMMITTEE ON KOREAN CLAIMS
1. Time and Place:
August 5, 1958, 10:30 a.m. - 11:15 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. LIMB, Do Kyong
Mr. ROH, Jae Won
Mr. LEE, Won Ho
Japanese side:
Mr. Katsuo AWASAWA
Mr. Tokichi TAKANO
Mr. Go HANDA
Mr. Kiyoshi SUGANUMA
Mr. Minao TSUCHIYA
Mr. Chiro KATSUDA
3. Gist of Talks:
Mr. Awasawa:
Mr. Takano gave me a briefing on the informal talks between Counselor Choi and himself that no particular progress was made on the problem in question. Here, at this Subcommittee meeting, I would like to ask the Korean side to state briefly on the report made by Mr. Choi with respect to the talks.
Mr. Lee:
I received a same sort of report from Mr. Choi concerning the informal talks held at 3:30 p.m. on August 4.
Mr. Awasawa:
If there is anything you would like to suggest in connection with the proceeding of this Subcommittee, please let me know.
Mr. Lee:
That is just what I wanted to ask you to make.
Mr. Awasawa:
How about asking the two Counselors to continue their informal talks ?
Mr. Lee:
If the Japanese side so desires, the Korean side will not raise any objection.
Mr. Awasawa:
I looked forward that there might come out a certain compromising point from the informal meetings of the two Counselors; however, I learned that no progress was made at their meeting.
Therefore, we might ask Mr. Choi and Mr. Takano to continue their talks if we can hope that the talks would be able to bring forth such an outcome as we seek to obtain.
Mr. Lee:
The Korean side would raise no objection if the Japanese side proposes to continue the talks between Mr. Choi and Mr. Takano, in its hope that the talks might be condusive to the production of such a result.
Mr. Awasawa:
(Silence for about five minutes )
I wonder if the Korean side has any alternative suggestion in this regard.
Mr. Lee:
I rather Wanted to ask you the very question. At any rate, I wish that the Japanese side shows more sincerity in the course of the discussions on the problem at issue. I believe that the Japanese side, by accepting the proposal made by the Korean side, can make the proceeding of our meetings much more smooth and effective.
Mr. Awasawa:
The Japanese side cannot accept the Korean proposal because the attachment of the proviso, as of November 6, 1951, to the proposed agenda item (d) may result in obliterating forever the problem of "141 fishing vessels" from the discussions of ours at this Subcommittee.
Mr. Lee:
Do you mean, then, that it is impossible for the Japanese side to accept the proposal by the Korean Side and that there is no room for further study by the Japanese side on the issue ?
Mr. Awasawa:
I am afraid that the Japanese side may not acquiecse in the proposal as such. A change in the expression of the proviso is desirous.
Mr. Lee:
Is there any particular phrase in your mind ?
Mr. Awasawa:
No, I don't have a definite wording in mind. But 1 think we might as well ask Mr. Choi and Mr. Takano to take pains at finding out the proper expression, too.
Mr. Lees
Then, do you propose that the two Counselors continue their informal talks ?
Mr. Awasawa:
If we, both sides, would think that the informal negotiations between the two Counselors could produce an expected result, let us ask them to continue their meetings.
Mr. Lee:
I am under an impression that the attitude of the Japanese side has gradually been getting stiffened. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that the Korean proposal is the most reasonable one for the prompt conclusion of our discussions regarding the adoption of agenda items. However, would the Jepanese side propose that the informal meetings between Mr. Choi and Mr. Takano be continued, the Korean side would not oppose to it.
Mr. Awasawa:
The Japanese side, too, received the same impression from the Korean side of an unyielding attitude as you got from the Japanese side, if there was any. Though we have held several sessions since the introduction of the Korean proposal that the proviso reading "as of November 6, 1951" be placed at the end of the proposed agenda item (d), we have been unable to come to term on the matter. This being the reality, I think we had better make mutual concessions for the earliest conclusion of our talks regarding the adoption of the agenda items.
Mr. Lee:
Though you say that the Korean side has recently stiffened its attitude towards the Japanese side, there has never been any of such attitudes on the part of the Korean side.
Mr. Awasawa:
That was the impression which the Japanese side received from the Korean side.
Mr. Lee:
Argument as to the impression for the argument's sake will not help anything for the settlement of the problem at issue. So, let us proceed with more constructive ideas for the effective operation of this
Subcommittee.
Mr. Awasawa:
(Silence )
Mr. Lee:
The Korean side has demonstrated its sincerity throughout the meetings at this Subcommittee. And now, I would not oppose to the continuation of the informal meetings between the two Counselors if the Japanese side seeks for working out the problem with sincerity.
Mr. Awasawa:
Without mutual concessions, there will be no good result even though they are to continue their talks.
Mr. Lee:
Of course, mutual concessions would be the key to the prompt and amicable settlement of any problem. The Korean side, therefore, has made enough coneessions in the course of discussions at this Subcommittee. Furthermore, the Korean side, I assure you, will hereafter never spare its effort and sincerity for the settlement of problems in the course of discussions.
Mr. Awasawa:
So will the Japanese side.
Mr. Lee:
Any suggestion you would like to make in connection with the proceeding of our meeting, today?
Mr. Awasawa:
As there is no other workable alternative at present, I think we may as well ask Mr. Takano and Mr. Choi to continue their talks.
Mr. Lee:
What date do you suggest for the neat meeting of this Subcommittee
Mr. Awasaws,
Will next Thursday be all right with the Korean side?
Mr. Lee:
Thursday is inconvenient to the Korean side. How about next Wednesday ?
Mr. Awasawa:
I would rather like to suggest next Friday, then.
Mr. Lee:
Next Friday is our national holiday.
Mr. Awasawa:
Will Wednesday afternoon be convenient to the Korean side ?
Mr. Lee:
That day will be all right with the Korean side. And concerning press release, let me propose to follow our practice.
Mr. Awasawa:
No objection.

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