Historical Documents - Office of the Historian

Paris, January 18, 1973, 2211Z.

1.: Thach has proposed that January 19 be our last day of negotiations this week. He wishes use all available language experts for conformity of texts on Saturday and Sunday.2 In fact, today, we negotiated in French, not a totally satisfactory exercise, because language experts at work.
2.: He feels that, if we can not rpt not solve entry point issue January 19, we should wait for Monday. It is not rpt not clear whether this is pressure tactic, or whether, as he claims, he as yet unable nominate proposed seaports. If latter is case, it may be that he wishes minimize time between their nomination and the cease-fire in order preclude preemptive seizure by ARVN.
3.: In any event, I saw no choice but to accept his proposal, especially since January 20 is scheduled to be day of massive demonstrations, which may immobilize Embassy, including its garage.
4.: Given this situation, I have accepted invitation to spend Saturday and Sunday with friends in St. Moritz. Aldrich will remain here to nurse his cold and work with language experts. Unless you have sadistic desire to confine me to Paris, which you express before I buy my tickets morning January 19, I shall take this breather. Before leaving, I will provide telephone number where I can be reached.
5.: Warm regards.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 119, Country Files, Far East, Vietnam Negotiations, Ambassador Porter’s File—Paris, June 1972–January 1973. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Sent via Guay and Scowcroft. A copy was sent from the White House to Haig in Sai as Tohaig 58/WHS 3064 at 2305Z. (Ibid., Box 1020, Alexander M. Haig Special File, Gen. Haig’s Vietnam Trip, Tohaig 1–105, January 14–21, 1973 [1 of 2])↩
January 20 and 21.↩

Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume IX, Vietnam, October 1972–January 1973