25. Editorial Note
The International Conference on Vietnam convened in Paris on February 26, 1973. Foreign Ministers from Canada, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, France, Hungry, Indonesia, Poland, the People’s Republic of China, the Provisional Revolutionary Government, the Republic of Vietnam, the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and the United States attended the meeting. Secretary of State Rogers, chief U.S. delegate, outlined U.S. objectives in his opening statement. He called upon participants to respect the January 1973 agreement, strengthen the ICCS, and create procedures for handling future discord in Vietnam. For full text of the Secretary’s speech, see Department of State Bulletin, March 26, 1973, pages 337–339. Telegrams from the U.S. delegation in Paris that contain summaries of conference activities are in the National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 27–14 VIET.
On March 2, the representatives formally pledged to respect the “aspirations and fundamental national rights of the Vietnamese people,” “strictly respect and scrupulously implement” the January accords, monitor and support ICCS efforts, and undertake consultations necessary to uphold the peace. The parties also agreed to “respect the [Page 141] independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, and neutrality of Cambodia and Laos.” For full text of the Final Act, see Department of State Bulletin, March 26, 1973, pages 345–346. It was also published in The New York Times, March 3, 1973. Secretary Rogers briefed President Nixon on conference developments during a telephone conversation on March 4, 11:22–11:35 a.m. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Tapes, Conversation No. 37–45) The Secretary also sent copies of his public remarks and the final agreement to the President under a cover memorandum dated March 7. (Ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 27–14 VIET)