Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume VII, Vietnam, September 1968–January 1969

120. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State¹

Paris, October 25, 1968, 1054Z.

22926/Delto 878. Ref: State 260990.²

1. Following comments are keyed to numbering of State 260990 on procedural problems, and take into account state of play with DRV, as appropriate.

(A) Flags and nameplates. We have been pressing same line with Lam as contained reftel. May we assume on the basis of Saigon 41093³ that GVN will change Lam’s instructions?

(B) Name for the conference. With both Thuy and Lam, as reported in Paris 22914,⁴ para 17, and Paris 22912,⁵ respectively we have talked of the next phase as “meetings”. Moreover, in accordance with instructions, we used the word “meetings” in our draft minute (Paris 22914, para 36). The DRV has agreed to the term “meetings”, and we believe it wise to stick to it rather than to use “talks.” Thus we believe name would best be “Paris meetings” or “Paris meetings on Viet-Nam”. Final agreement, of course, will be part of negotiations on procedure.

(C) Order of entrance. We concur in reftel positions.

(D) Chairmanship of delegation. Concur with reftel.

(E) Opening statement. Concur reftel. Please note also the question of the order of speaking, on which we want to remain flexible until later. This will be a question of tactics which we can decide here. Embassy Saigon should not agree on this without reference to Paris.

(F) References to other side. We concur with reftel, with amplification as contained in Paris 22912, para 6E.

2. Seating. Concur. We hope Lam will be receiving new instructions on this point before he starts building an elevated chair for himself. See Paris 22912, para 6F.

3. Wish to make clear that we do not intend to engage in unbusinesslike behavior. There does not appear to be a difference in substance based on what Lam has been saying.

4. Concur with Embassy’s explanation that each side must be free to bring up anything it likes.

5. Concur. We already made this point to Lam.

Harriman

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, A/IM Files: Lot 93 D 82, HARVAN-(Incoming)-October 1968. Secret; Immediate; Nodis/HARVAN Double Plus. Received at 7:17 a.m. Repeated to Saigon.
2. Document 118.
3. In telegram 41093 from Saigon October 24, the Embassy reported on a meeting between Thanh and Berger and Herz in which they found Thanh generally agreeable on procedural issues. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Memos to the President/Bombing Halt Decisions, Vol. II)
4. See footnote 2, Document 116.
5. In telegram 22912/Delto 875 from Paris, October 24, the Embassy reported on a meeting between Lam and Habib on procedural matters. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, HARVAN/DOUBLE PLUS, Vol. III)