LETTER TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM HENRY CABOT LODGE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-492-7-6-2
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: November 26, 2012
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: August 12, 1969
• Content Type: LETTER

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/11/26: LOC-HAK-492-7-6-2
'Tor EDCREVEENSITIVE/ITODIF
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
Dr. Henry A. Kissinger
Special Assistant to the
President for National
Security Affairs
The White House
Washington, D. C.
Dear Henry:
United States Delegation at
the Paris Meetings on Viet-Nam
American Embassy
Paris, August 12, 1969
DOS Review Completed.
As a sequel to my letter of August 9 I submit
the following:
Thuy went into greater detail regarding a
political settlement than ever before, particularly
as to a provisional so-called "coalition government".
As the record stands now, his position on political
settlement is thus, at least superficially, more
explicit and more elaborate than ours.
His poeition is, to be sure) unacceptable. But
I believe we should evolve a counter-idea which goes
into at least as much detail. In this strange business,
you can sometimes start moving towards a deal by matching
up details. We should have at least as.many details
on the table as he has. I do not press for a
"counter-proposal" but for authority to discuss and
to ask questions. The GVN would not be asked to
produce a new program full of more proposals.
We, however, must produce more specifically what
is involved in our present proposals. For example:
Just who does organize the elections and under what
laws? How will the election commissions be chosen and
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIC
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No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/11/26: LOC-HAK-492-7-6-2
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/11/26: LOC-HAK-492-7-6-2
IIP
TOP-SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS`.
what will be their authority? What sort of elections
are we talking about assembly, presidential or what?
What will the armed forces (including police) on both
sides be doing? These are only some of the details
which need clarification. And that means careful
consultation with Thieu.
We should not approach these questions hypothetically
with Thieu. We should, rather, have a specific point
to raise with him and then decide together what we can
say to Hanoi on whatever this point might be.
Doubtless we must wait for Thieu to form his
new cabinet. If you think that this approach has merit,
-'we'might,tfidetriw- it'.'when .*Seth e' i'resident-and:7:you
next week...
With warm regard61.
As ever yours,
P.S. In addition to the matters I mentioned to you
here, I hope to have a chance to talk to the
President about what should be done in Paris
before November 1 and what should be done in
Viet-Nam? in the United States and in East
Asia immediately after November 1.
TOP SECTM/SENSITIVE/NODIS
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/11/26: LOC-HAK-492-7-6-2