751G.13/12–751: Telegram
The Minister at Saigon (Heath) to the Secretary of State
1147. Re Legtel 1006, rptd Paris 396. Acting High Com Gautier today told me Bao Dai had spoken to Aurillac of High Comm. of my conversation with him (Legtel 1129, Dec 3). Bao Dai asserted it wld be necessary when he summons Huu to undertake necessary govt reforms that he shld have in his hands a copy or an excerpt of a State Dept instruction expressing concern over (1) concentration of key ministries in Huu’s hands and (2) absence of budget. Gautier said he now believed that it wld be well to give Bao Dai proper ammunition which he might profitably use in getting Huu to reform the Viet governmental set-up but assumed that we would not regard it as proper to write the Sovereign direct in such matters nor give him excerpts of official instructions from Washington to me.
I told him this was my view but in case my govt shld decide to make observations in writing to the Viet Govt with reference to its organization and performance, particularly its failure to prepare a budget, I assumed that a copy of the latter might conceivably be forwarded to Bao Dai for his info.
Comment: Bao Dai’s approach somewhat inconvenient since it has appearance of asking us assume his responsibilities to assert auth by his own govt. Moreover, Bao Dai’s memo (on which Leg will comment further) not exhaustive or profound. In presenting only two points to Huu, we might appear in position of rejecting others. Nevertheless, our concern with certain inadequacies of Huu Govt antedates Bao Dai’s démarche, is valid in its own right, and I wld appreciate instructions authorizing me to present a note to Huu at least on the necessity of producing a budget and perhaps on desirability naming capable full time ministers to such important portfolios as defense. This shld not preclude subsequent representations on a broader range of Vietnamese governmental problems. I shall thank Bao Dai for his communications but tell him that a number of his points will require further study by us. As he knows, questions of budget and the ministries have been of concern to us for some time and we may express our interest in them more concretely. I shall tell Bao Dai I assume he will present his own views to his Prime Mins.
Sent Dept 1147, rptd info Paris 443.