CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM ELLSWORTH BUNKER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-490-6-21-8
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 3, 2012
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: August 5, 1972
• Content Type: CABLE

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' No Objectior:iDeclassification in Part 2012/10/03 4-1-.1/W-490-6-21-8
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ij0PSECRETSENSITIVE 2.50640Z _AUG 72
FROr: AN3ASSADOR,9UNYER, KATHMAMU . SAIUUN 0127 IM1EDIATE-77ni
TO: THE WHITE HOUSE, EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY, HENRY A. KISSIrtap _'-':
REFS: A) Wfl-{S 2101 B) wHS 2101 C) SAIGON 0126 . ro
? I VET WITH THIEU MORNING OF AUGUST 4 PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR
KATMEAOU AND BRIEFED HIM ON AUGUST- 1 MEETING ALONG LINES AGREED
1
REFS 3 AND C. 1 ?
I SAID THAT WE PRESENTED OUR -NEW PROPOSALS, IN'EFFECT'OUR
JOINT JANUARY 25 PROPOSAL WITH THE THREE MODIFICATIONS ON WHICH
WE HAD MUTUALLY .AGREED. THE OTHER 'SIDE HAD RESPONDED THAT THEY
WOULD STUDY THEM BUT THAT AT FIRST CONSIDERATION THEY SEEMED TO
,REPRESENT 'ONLY A SLIGHT CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING. .
I SAID TEAT THE OTHER SIDE THEN PRESENTEDA PROPOSAL WHICH
' SEEMED TO INDICATE, AT LEAST IN SOME RESPECTS, CONSIDERABLE
MOVErENT AWAY FROM THEIR PREVIOUS- POSITION, THEY INTIMATED A
WILLI!:GOESS TO TALK TO THE GVN, INCLUDING THIEU HIMSELF. ' THEY ALSO
GAVE SONE INDICATION OF COMING TO AN?ACCEPTANOE OF THE PRINCIPLE '
THAT DETAILS OF A POLITICAL SOLUTION SHOULD BE WORKED OUT BY
THE vIETNAUSE. THEY CONTINUED, HOWEVER, THEIR INSISTENCE ON AN
ULTIVATE AI r OF A GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL CONCORD WITHOUT HIM (THIEU).
, I SAID THAT YOU HOPED TO BE ABLE TO DRAW THE OTHER SIDE. OUT FURTHER
ON THESE POINTS AT THE NEXT MEETING WHICH HAS BEEN SET FOR AUGUST 14,
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ArD.TAT,YOU BELIEVED IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF AFTER THAT MEETING YOU
sHOJID. cOlE TO SAIGON TO DISCUSS THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH HIM. THE
- DATES YOU HAVE IN MIND ARE AUGUST 17 AND 18.. .
THIEU REPLIED .THAT HE THOUGHT SUCH A MEETING WOULD BE MOST -
USEFUL AO WELCOMED YOUR VISIT. I IMPRESSED ON HIM THE NEED FOR
AnsOLUTE SECRECY CONCERNING IT.
THIEU COMMENTED THAT OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OF COURSE IS
TO ;"CD TEE WAR; THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO IMPRESS ON THE OTHER SIDE
TEri WE WANT TO ENGAGE IN SERIOUS TALKS; THAT WE HAVE NO DESIGNS
or T!4E, ro wISH TO DESTROY THEM. IN THE MEANTIME. THE ONLY MEANS
TO REACH THIS.03jECTI.YE_ISEERJHE_P.RESS.URLON............_'.....____.??,?,
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[State Dept. review completed]
.[MORI/CDF PGS 1-2 PER C03322149
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS
APPLY'
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/03: LOC-HAK-490-6-21-8
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/03: LOC-HAK-490-6-21-8
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SUBSEV.YENTLY I RAISED THE IssuE-tif7A)4v6-60E0101-oNs IN MR-1, EX-
pLAIriro OUR CONCERN THAT THE MARINE DIVISION NOT BECOME OVER-
EXTENDED IN THE EFFORT TO SECURE TERRITORY IN ANTICIPATION OF A
CEASE-FIRE. r SAID THAT IT WAS OUR VIEW THAT A CEASE-FIRE WAS NOT
IMMINENT AND IT WAS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT THE GVN FORCES
SHOULD-BE PREPARED. FOR ANOTHER MAJOR EFFORT BY THE ENEMY FOR WHICH
THE LATTER IS OBVIOUSLY PREPARING,
THIEU REPLIED THAT HE AGREED ENTIRE1.Y, THAT, AS I WAS AWARE, HE
HAD FREQUENTLY FORECAST ANOTHER MAJOR EFFORT BY-THE ENEMY TO BEGIN
THIS MONTH, AND THAT IT WAS HIS INTENTION TO KEEP IN A FLEXIBLE
POSITION TO MEET THE THREAT AND TO DESTROY THE ENEMY IN COUNTRY.
(NOTE: THIEU HAS INSTRUCTED GENERAL VIEN TO PREPARE THE 7TH ARVN
DIVISION TO MOVE TO AR 1 IF NEEDED, ALTHOUGH GENERAL WEYAND HAS
SUGGESTED THAT AN EQUIVALENT FORCE COMPOSED OF RANGER GROUPS
WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO MOVING THE 7TH DIVISION SO FAR FROM ITS HOME
SASE. I AGREE; THE RANGERS ARE USED TO SERVING AS A MOBILE FORCE
WHEREAS THE ARVN REGULAR DIVISIONS ARE NOT.) ? '
GENERAL WEYAND THEN JOINED US FOR A VERY USEFUL REVIEW OF THE
SITUATION COUNTRY-WIDE, COVERING ENEMYSTRENGTH AND INTENTIONS, AND
RVNAF AND ALLIED PREPARATIONS TO COUNTER ENEMY' MAJOR THRUSTS.
GENERAL WEYAND EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THE SITUATION IN ALL CORPS
AREAS WITHEXCEPTION OF MR-3 WHERE GENERAL MINH'S PERFORMANCE STILL
CONTINUES TO BE UNSATISFACTORY. GENERAL WEYAND POINTED OUT THAT
RVNAF EVERY WHERE WAS IN STRONG CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY.EXCEPT IN
ER-3 WHERE MUCH MORE CAN AND SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. AS you KNOW
GENERAL ABRAMS AND I ALSO HAD REPEATEDLY BROUGHT TO THIEU'S ATTENTION
GENERAL MINH'S LACK-LUSTRE PERFORMANCE. THIEU ADMITS MINH'S CAUTIOUS
NATURE BUT APPARENTLY HAS CONFIDENCE IN HIM, EXPECIALLY IN MINH'S
LOYALTY, AND SO FAR HAS MADE NO MOVE TO' REPLACE HIM, HE INTIMATED
TO GEERAL. ABRAMS AND ME A PROBLEM WAS TO FIND A SATISFACTORY
REPLACEXENT.
I PLAM.TO LEAVE KATHMANDU TUESDAY MORNING', 5TH, AND SHALL: BE
FOLLUJING UP WITH COMMENTS. ON OTHER SIDE'S PROPOSALS. 011\11
WARM PERSONAL REGARDS.
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---- 'No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/03: LOC-HAK-490-6-21-8