MEMORANDUM RE RADIO HANOI'S BROADCAST ON OCTOBER 26, 72 AND DR. KISSINGER'S PRESS BRIEFING ON OCTOBER 26, 72

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-490-8-42-3
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 17, 2010
• Sequence Number: 42
• Publication Date: October 28, 1972
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/12/17 : LOC-HAK-490-8-42-3
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T 0 P S E C R E T SENSITIVE 281245Z OCT 72 VIA CAS
SECTION I OF 2
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CHANNELS (BUNKER)
FROM: AMBASSADOR BUNKER SAIGON 0240 IMMEDIATE
TO: THE WHITE HOUSE, EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY FOR HENRY A. KISSINGER
1. AT 20,-50 TONIGHT, NHA SENT ME THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT ENTITLED
"MEMORANDUM RE RADIO HANOI'S BROADCAST ON OCTOBER 26, 72
AND DR. KISSINGER'S PRESS BRIEFING ON OCTOBER 26, 72".
BEGIN TEXT:
I MEr,';JRANDUM RE RADIO HANOI'S BROADCAST ON
OCTOBER 26, 72 AND DR. KISSINGER'S PRESS BRIEFING
ON OCTOBER 26, 72
IN THE LIGHT OF DETAILS OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT REVEALED
BY NORTH VIET NAM IN A BROADCAST BY RADIO HANOI AT 13:00 ON
OCTOBER 26, 72 (HANOI TIME) AND SOME STATEMENTS BY DR. KISSINGER
IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE AT 11:70 ON OCTOBER 26, 72 (WASHINGTON
TIME), THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM RAISES THE
FOLLOW I s"G POINTS:
1. - 14E ARE VERY SURPRISED BY THE SCHEDULES AS DISCLOSED BY HANOI
ACCORDING TO WHICH:
A) ON OCTOBER 9, 72 THE UNITED STATES HAD PROPOSED AND
AGREED TO STOP THE BOMBING AND MINING OF NVN ON 19, 72,
THE TWO SIDES WILL PARAFER THE AGREEMENT IN HANOI ON.
OCTOBER 19, ?72, AND THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE U.S.
AND NVN WILL OFFICIALLY SIGN THE AGREEMENT ON OCTOBER
26, 72 IN PARIS.
B) ON OCTOBER 11, 72 THE US HOWEVER HAD PROPOSED TO CHANGE
THE SCHEDULE AS FOLLOWS:
- THE US WILL STOP THE BOMBING AND MINING OF NVN ON
OCTOBER 21, 72.
- THE TWO SIDES WILL PARAFER THE AGREEMENT IN HANOI ON
OCTOBER 22, 72.
- THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE US AND NVN WILL OFFICIALLY
SIGN THE AGREEMENT IN PARIS ON OCTOBER 30, 72.
C) ON OCTOBER 20 72 THE US AGAIN PROPOSED TO CHANGE
THE SCHEDULE AS FOLLOWS:
- THE US WILL STOP THE BOMBING AND MINING OF NVN ON
OCTOBER 23, 72
- THE TWO SIDES WILL PARAFER THE AGREEMENT IN HANOI
ON OCTOBER 249 72
- THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE US AND NVN WILL
OFFICIALLY SIGN THE AGREEMENT IN PARIS ON OCTOBER
31, 72.
THIS I S THE FIRST TIME THAT WE KNOW OF SUCH SCHEDULES TO SIGN
THE AGREEMENT. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ADVISED OF SUCH SCHEDULES
WITH DR. KISSINGER WAS STILL HOLDING MEETINGS WITH THE OTHER
SIDE IN PARIS AND WHEN HE WAS IN SAIGON.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/12/17: LOC-HAK-490-8-42-3
 QR T 1- No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/12/17: L0O-HAK-490-8-42-3 _1
WOULD LIKE THE GQ NMENT OF THE UNITED STA"z WTO S TATE ON THE
VERACITY OF HANOI'' ASSERTIONS ON THESE SCHED ES.
2. - HnNOT DISCLOSED THAT PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON HAD SENT TO
PHAM Vr? N DONG TWO MESSAGES WHILE OR. KISSINGER WAS HOLDING
MEETINGS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM IN
SAIGON.
IN THE FIRST MESSAGE CONVEYED TO PHAM VAN DONG ON OCTOBER
20, 72 PRESIDENT NIXON WELCOMED THE GOODWILL OF NVN AND
REAFFIRMED THAT THE TEXT OF THE AGREE!?eNENT CAN BE CONSIDERED
AS FINAL, BUT DID HOWEVER RAISE SOME QUESTIONS.
- ICY THE SECOND MESSAGE CONVEYED TO PHAM VAN DONG ON OCTOBER
22, 72 PRESIDENT NIXON EXPRESSED HIS SATISFACTION ON THE EXPLA-
NATIONS GIVER` BY NVN TO THE QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE US ON OCTOBER
20, 72.
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM WAS NOT 'INFORMED
OF THOSE TWO LETTERS. FOR THE RECORD, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE .
REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM WOULD LIKE TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE GOVERN-
MENT OF THE UNITED STATES ON THE VERACITY AS WELL AS THE CONTENT
OF THOSE TWO MESSAGES.
3. - IN HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF
VIET NAM DR. KISSINGER SAID THAT THE REFERENCE TO THE THREE
(3) COUNTRIES OF INDOCHINA IN THE TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT DR. KISSINGER
GAVE TO US WAS A MISTAKE. HOWEVER, AS DISCLOSED BY HANOI THE
REFERENCE TO THE THREE (3) COUNTRIES OF INDOCHINA IS VERY CLEAR
AND STRONGLY :STATED IN ,'`DINT 7 AND IN THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE
BROADCAST.
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES' COMMENTS ON THIS POINT.
4. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM FEELS THAT IN
HIS PRESS CONFERENCE, DR. KISSINGER.HAD MADE MANY RATHER
AMBIGUOUS STATEMENTS.
A) REFERRING TO THE AGREEMENT, DR. KISSINGER SAID THAT
"... WHAT STANDS IN THE WAY OF AN AGREEMENT NOW ARE ISSUES
THAT ARE RELATIVELY LESS IMPORTANT THAN THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY
BEEN SETTLED".
DR. KISSINGER SAID FURTHER THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT REMAIN TO BE
SOLVED ARE "LINGUISTIC PROBLEMS"
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/12/17: LOC-HAK-490-8-42-3
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/12/17: LOC-HAK-490-8-42-3
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.T !) P S E C R E T SENSITIVE 2812452 OCT 72 VIA CAS CHANNELS (BUNKER)
FINAL SECTION OF 2
FROM: AMBASSADOR BUNKER SAIGON 0240 IMMEDIATE
TO: THE WHITE HOUSE, EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONL' FOR HENRY A. KIESINGER
B) REFERRING TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE CALLED NATIONAL
COUNCIL OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND CONCORD, DR. KISSINGER
SAID THAT "... WE DO NOT CONSIDER THIS A' COALITION GOVERNMENT
AND WE BELIEVE THAT PRESIDENT THIEU WAS SPEAKING ABOUT PREVIOUS
VERSIONS OF A COMMUNIST PLAN AND NOT ABOUT THIS VERSION OF THE
COMMUNIST PLAN". 'DR, KISSINGER SAID FURTHERMORE THAT "... WE
DO NOT SEE IT. AS ANYTHING COMPARABLE TO A COALITION GOVERNMENT"
AND THAT "... WE VIEW IT, AS AN INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE ELECTION
COMMISSION THAT WE; PROPOSED ON JANUARY 25, 72".
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM WISHES TO MAKE CLEAR .
THAT, IN THE DISCUSSIONS IN SAIGON, THE GVN HAD RAISED A NUMBER
OF PRELIMINARY POINTS IN THE DRAFT AGREEMENT. DR. KISSINGER
THEN THOUGHT THAT SOME POINTS COULD BE ACCOMODATED WHILE SOME
OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS ARE .DIFFICULT TO ACCOMODATE. FURTHERMORE,
WE HAVE NOT AGREED ON THREE, BASIC PRINCIPLES, NAMELY
A) THE NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS MUST WITHDRAW TO NVN
B) THE DMZ SHOULD BE DEFINED CLEARLY
C) THE POLITICAL SOLUTION FOR SVN SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE
SOUTH VIETNAMESE PEOPLE TO DECIDE BY THEMSELVES,
AND NOT IMPOSED THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE
CALLED NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND
CONCORD WITH THREE EQUAL SEGMENTS AND WITH THE
PREROGATIVES AND TASKS OF A COALITION GOVERNMENT.
S0, THERE REMAIN MANY IMPORTANT PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED, AND
THAT THOSE PROBLEMS ARE NOT MERELY "LINGUISTIC PROBLEMS".
ON THE PARTICULAR ISSUE OF THE COUNCIL, EVEN HANOI DISCLOSED IT
AS A STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT, WITH FULL POWERS OF A GOVERNMENT
AND NOT A "LITTLE COUNCIL OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE" AS DR.
K
SSINGER HAD COMMENTED9
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/12/17 : LOC-HAK-490-8-42-3
 e No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/12/17: LOC-HAK-490-8-42-3
IN THE C71.IRSE OF OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, THE
CnVFRriNENIT OF THLREPUBLIC OF VIrT NAM HAS REJECTED THE WORDS
"ADUINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE", "3 EQUAL COMPONENTS" AS WELL AS THE
PRERQ(ATIVES AND THE TASKS OF THIS COUNCIL 10 ORGANIZE GENERAL
ELECTION.
IN REJECTING IT AS A DISGUISED COALITION GOVERNMENT, PRESIDENT
NGUYEN VAN THIEU WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC COUNCIL IN
THE AGREEMENT AND NOT ABOUT PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF A COMMUNIST
PLAN.
THEREFORE, IN THE LIGHT OF DR. KISSINGER'S :.oBIGUOUS STATEMENTS,
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM, MAKES IT CLEAR
THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT ELABORATED
AND AGREED WITH THS 'GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM
ONTHE PRELIMINARY POINTS RAISED BY THE GVN WHICH DR. KISSINGER
THOUGHT COULD BE ACCOMODATED.
FURTHERMORE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE ARE STILL MANY
BASIC PRINCIPLES AND NOT "LINGUISTIC PROBLEM" TO BE SOLVED BY
THE TWO GOVERNMENTS9
2. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN ELABORATION OF SOME OF THE POINTS THIEU
RAISED WITH ME THIS MORNING, AS REPORTED IN MY 0239. IT IS
CLEAR THAT THIEU SEEMS TO BE OBSESSED WITH THE IDEA THAT THE
COUNCIL OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND CONCORD IS A DISGUISED
COALITION GOVERNMENT. GIVEN HIS- SUSPICIOUS NATURE AND DISTRUST
OF. THE COMMUNISTS, I THINK-HE MAY FEEL THAT THE DIFFERSNCE IN
WORDING BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE TEXTS MAY BE A JS
DELIBERATE
3 ORT OF DECEPTION ON THE PART OF THE COMMUNISTS. I
HAVE TRIED TO POINT OUT TO HIM REPEATEDLY THAT THE FUNCTIONS OF THE
CNRC, AS SPELLED OUT IN THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, ARE NOT IN ANY
SSNSE GOVERNMENTAL, BUT APPARENTLY SO FAR WITHOUT EFFECT. I
HAVE, OF COURSE, ASSURED HIM THIS IS A MATTER WHICH YOU WILL BE
TAKING UP WITH THE OTHER SIDE.
3. WARM REGARDS.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/12/17: LOC-HAK-490-8-42-3 - a