VIETNAM AD HOC WORKING GROUP MEETING, AUGUST 6, 1971

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-489-1-21-5
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: March 15, 2011
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: August 20, 1971
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/01/24: LOC-HAK-489-1-21-5
? " ?
MEMORANDUM
NATIOisrAL SECURITY COUNCIL
State Dept. review completed
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE
MEMORANDUM FOR: THE FILES
SUBJECT:
INFORMATION
August 20, 1971
USAID, OSD reviews
completed
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
Vietnam Ad Hoc Working Group Meeting,
August 6, 1971
The South Vietnamese Election
JCS completed review for PACOM
Sullivan said there was a lot of speculation resulting from the President's
press conference remark about the South Vietnamese election. The
Washington Post thinks the President is thinking of dumping Thieu and
the New York Times speaks of strains between Bunker and Thieu.
Blinker's return will feed speculation. State will tell the press that he
iq coming back for consultation.
The Election Observer Commission
Sullivan says it looks as if the President has made a decision not to send
a Presidential Election Observer Commission. This leaves open the
possibility of sending a Congressional delegation.' Perhaps we should say
\ that we see no objection. Smyser said he thought we should indicate we did
see objections to a Congressional delegation but not to individual
Congressional travel.
Private Election Observers
Sullivan said that Mr. Gullion and his group will go to observe the South
Vietnamese election. So will Mrs. Lord, Congressman Wolff, and
Senator Stevenson. Kerr's group may go if they get money. It is uncer-
tain whether Minh will pull out but he may do so. The Embassy thinks
Thieu will win but the Communists are encouraging people to vote for Minh.
POW Release
Sullivan said that he was directing a study of prisoner release and
repatriation (Tab A), to be completed by the beginning of September.
CINCPAC and MACV are also looking into this.
TOP SECRET /SENSITIVE
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/01/24: LOC-HAK-489-1-21-5
25X
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/01/24: LOC-HAK-489-1-21-5
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE
The Thompson Report
2
Sullivan asked when the White House would give an answer on releasing
the Thompson report to the Hill. Smyser said he would again ask about
this. Arthur said he was worried that Congress would try to attack the
AID program on the basis of any information withheld from the Hill.
He said Congress is trying to get separate accountability for CORDS.
25X1
Civilian Casualties
Sullivan said that civilian casualties were climbing again, although we had
expected them to go down and Sullivan had told Kennedy they would go down.
The big increase is apparently in I Corps, according to the military.
Weapons for the South Vietnamese
Karhohs said the meeting at CINCPAC about weapons for the South Vietna-
mese had been completed. It had been decided to give them M-48 tanks
and heavy (8 inch) artillery. This, along with other items, would lead to a
large turnover in the next few months, which would be hard to conceal. He
said no decision had yet been made on helicopters, but it is apparent that
Thieu expects more and has been given a comrnittment for more. Smyser
said that this was correct, and that the helicopter program should be
reviewed to leave as many helicopters as possible among the remaining
U. S. forces and among the Vietnamese.
Exchange Rate Review
Mr. Arthur said another AID Bill amendment had been added in the Congress,
calling for the President to review our exchange rates in South Vietnam
every three months and to make a determination. He said this might not
be to bad.
? TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/01/24: LOC-HAK-489-1-21-5
1
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/01/24: LOC-HAK-489-1-21-5
August 5, 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR MR. SIDVERTS, U/PW
Subject: Prisoner Release and Repatriation.
The proposals made, by President Nixon on October 7,
1970 include "the immediate and 'unconditional release
of all prisoners of war held by both sides". The Seven'
?. Point Program recently tabled by the communists in Paris
'involves ambiguous proposals on this same subject. The
category of prisoners described under Point One seems ?
?to embrace essentially the same persons covered by the ?
?President in his proposal. The category of
involved in Point Two seems to go well beyond th?e. issue
of prisoners of .wal: embrace ?those in -prisn for
? 'criminal actions as well as acts of political subversion.
?It is desirable to determine the actions which ? may
be involved in addressing the question of prisoner
release and repatriation in the context of negotiations
with respect to Viet-Nam and with respect to Lacs and
Cambodia Since we are currently engage'd in. meetings in
? Paris with ?specific reference to Viet-Nam?this-has to
? be the framework of our initial consideration.. However,
'since. the President's proposals embrace all of Indochina.
and since we are seeking the return of States.
prisoners in .the entire Indochina conflict, the ultimate
framework Of our concern should encompass an Indochina .
scope for our actions. '
.The Ad Hoc Group on Viet-Nam has agreed to designate
you. as Chairman of an Interdepartmental Study Panel
which would. prepare. papers on this subject. You. should
..work ..with appropriate representatives from,..the,Lepartment
of Defense.. and .from those other Departments and 21gencics
which. have an 'interest in this subject. You should pre-
? pare studies for the Ad Hoc Group and provide that Group...
with recommendations which can Ultimately be proessed
through the ? National Security Council machinery.
Your studies should address themselves to proposed
DERASSIFIED s.erro,
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/01/24: LOC-HAK-489-1-21-5
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/01/24: LOC-HAK-489-1-21-5
strategies for negotiations, definitions and criteria
for prisoners of war and other prisoners, the issue of
non-forcible repatriation, the question of possible
third country internmnt, and the physical and secul7Ity
factors which would be involved in release and repat-
riation.
.
It is requested that you assemble an appropriate
panel, devise an outline of. the studies that panel would
recommend, and propose a schedule for the resultant re-
ports to the Ad. Hoc Group. Please send me your pro-
pOsaI 3, 1971.
di 1 -----
? ... (1.-1-4
( :-
William H. Sullivan
Chairman
Ad Doc! croup on Viet-Nam
ISA -7 General Xarhohs
JCS - General Burrows
CIA - Mr. Carver
NSC - Mr. Holdridge
AID 7- Mr. Nooter
EA - Mr. Cutler
EA/VN - Mr. Bennett
EA : TIBSta 11 :ms
x20272:8/5/71
BEC: 1!:1FD
'11
No 'Objection to Declassification in Part 2013/01/24: LOC-HAK-489-1-21-5