PRESIDENT NGUYEN VAN THIEU AND THE VIET CONG TODAY SOUGHT TO STRENGTHEN THEIR POSITIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-247-10-24-0
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: March 3, 2010
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: December 8, 1972
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/03/03: LOC-HAK-247-10-24-0
0091927Z DEC 72 ZYH
FM THE 'WHITE HOUSE TOHAK 104
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VIET CONG
SAIGON (.AP)- PRESIDENT NGUYEN VAN THIEU AND THE VIET CONG TODAY
SOUGHT TO STRENGTHEN THEIR POSITIONS IN THE STRUGGLE FOR POLITICAL
CONTROL OF SOUTH VIETNAM AFTER ANY CEASE- FIRE.
SOUTH VIETNAMESE SOURCES SAID THIEU WOULD GO BEFORE THE NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY TUESDAY TO ASK AT LEAST A THREE-MONTH EXTENSION OF HIS SIX
MONTHS' SPECIAL-DECREE POWERS WHICH GIVE HIM TIGHT CONTROL OVER THE
COUNTRY'S 17.5 M ILL ION PEOPLE..
THIEU' S REQUEST, IF PRESENTED, WOULD MARK HIS FIRST SPEECH TO A
JOINT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN TWO YEARS.
THIEU ALSO PLANS TO REORGANIZE HIS ADMINISTRATION IN EFFORTS TO
DEAL WITH A CEASE-FIRE, ACCORDING TO TIN SONG, A NEWSPAPER
CONTROLLED B Y THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.
THE VIET LONG, MEANWHILE, SAID IT IS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING ITS
MILITARY AND POLITICAL FORCES FOR A POSTWAR VIETNAM SHOWDOWN.
IT URGED AN UPRISING TO MAKE THE UNITED STATES QUICKLY SIGN A
PEACE AGREEMENT.
I
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/03/03: LOC-HAK-247-10-24-0
 T HIE No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/03/03: LOC-HAK-247-10-24-0 I TO A
JOINT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN TWO YEARS.
THIEU ALSO PLANS TO REORGANIZE HIS ADMINISTRATION IN EFFORTS TO
DEAL WITH A CEASE-FIRE, ACCORDING TO TIN SONG, A NEWSPAPER
CONTROLLED BY THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.
THE VIET CONG, MEANWHILE, SAID IT IS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING ITS
MILITARY AND POLITICAL FORCES FOR A POSTWAR VIETNAM SHOWDOWN.
IT URGED AN UPRISING TO MAKE THE UNITED STATES QUICKLY SIGN A
PEACE AGREEMENT.
SENIOR SOUTH VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS SAID THEY DOUBTED ANY AGREEMENT
COULD BE SIGNED BY DEC. 15, A SPECULATEDATE FOR SIGNING THE
DRAFT CEASE-FIRE PROPOSAL WORKED OUT IN PARIS BETWEEN THE UNITED
STATES AND HANOI IN MID-OCTOBER.
ONE OFFICIAL SAID SAIGON CANNOT SIGN THE CURRENT ACCORD BECAUSE
IT WOULD "CAUSE TOO MANY DIFFICULTIES" IN THE FUTURE.
ANOTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAID SOUTH VIETNAM "SHARES THE
WORRY OF THE UNITED STATES ABOUT PRISONERS OF WAR HELD IN NORTH
VIETNAM AND WILL DO ITS UTMOST" TO HELP IN THEIR RELEASE.
THIS COULD EXTEND TO THE RELEASE OF NORTH VIETNAMESE PRISONERS OF
WAR HELD IN SOUTH VIETNAM BUT NOT CIVILIAN PRISONERS, HE SAID.
SOUTHERN-BASED VIET CONG MEMBERS ARE CONSIDERED CRIMINALS RATHER
THAN ROWS AND WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN A RELEASE, THE OFFICIAL SAID.
SOUTH VIETNAM HOLDS ABOUT 10,000 NORTH VIETNAMESE SOLDIERS AS
WAR PRISONERS, HE SAID.
JC1113 AES DEC 8
PLEASE NOTE:
THIS IS TO HELP CLARIFY ANY QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO FIRST ITEM
IN NOON NUIES.
375
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/03/03: LOC-HAK-247-10-24-0
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