751G.00/7–1354: Telegram
The Ambassador at Saigon (Heath) to the Department of State
priority
170. Repeated information Paris 65, London 5, Geneva 31. We note with some concern suggestion in numbered paragraph 7 Deptel 125 sent Paris repeated London 192, Saigon 124, Geneva Tosec 5301 that a declaration be issued presumably by US, UK and France, provided Associated States agree to accept an armistice on basis of seven points set out US–UK aide-mémoire of June 26,2 including among other things, a statement that US will not resort to force to upset that settlement. Irrespective of what our policy may be toward such an armistice, it would seem to us unnecessary to give the Communist side an extra trump by publicly stating that we will not resort to force to change the agreement. The implicit threat of use of force to preserve integrity of Indochina and Southeast Asian states is one of few restraining influences which might be brought to bear on further Communist encroachment, and accordingly, it seems to us that any declaration we make should not contain a self-denying ordinance.
- Telegram 125 to Paris, July 10, not printed, contained an agreed general summary of the progress of the U.S.-U.K. Study Group. This outline was provided for use in briefing French authorities. (790.5/7–1054) Regarding the work of the Joint Study Group, see the extract of its July 17 report, p. 1847.↩
- See telegram 4853 to Paris, June 28, p. 1757.↩