Conference files, lot 60 D 627, “CF 339”
No. 487
Agreed Instructions to the
Ambassadors of the United States and the United Kingdom in
France1
secret
[Washington, June 29,
1954.]
The US Government/HMG have taken note of the French Government’s communication.2 They appreciate being informed of this expression of the French Government’s position in the current negotiations for an armistice agreement on Indochina. The US Government/HMG would be willing to respect an agreement which:
- 1.
- preserves the integrity and independence of Laos and Cambodia and assures the withdrawal of Vietminh forces therefrom;
- 2.
- preserves at least the southern half of Vietnam and if possible an enclave in the Delta; in this connection we would be unwilling to see the line of division of responsibility drawn further south than a line running generally west from Dong Hoi;
- 3.
- does not impose on Laos, Cambodia or retained Vietnam any restrictions materially impairing their capacity to maintain stable non-Communist regimes; and especially restrictions impairing their right to maintain adequate forces for internal security, to import arms and to employ foreign advisers;
- 4.
- does not contain political provisions which would risk loss of the retained area to Communist control;
- 5.
- does not exclude the possibility of the ultimate unification of the Vietnam by peaceful means;
- 6.
- provides for the peaceful and humane transfer, under international supervision, of those people desiring to be moved from one zone to another of Vietnam; and
- 7.
- provides effective machinery for international supervision of the agreement.
- The source text was attached to a cover sheet which indicated that it was circulated within the U.S. Delegation as CEV MEMO–7b. Also attached to the source text was a translation of the French aide-mémoire of June 26, which expressed the French position on the negotiations for an armistice in Indochina. The agreed instructions were approved by Dulles and Eden at their meeting on June 27 (see Document 478); and by Churchill and Eisenhower at their meeting on June 29 (see Document 482). They were transmitted to Dillon on June 28, subject to final approval by the Prime Minister and the President.↩
- The aide-mémoire referred to in footnote 1 above.↩