851G.00/11–1747: Telegram
The Consul at Saigon (Reed) to the Secretary of State
382. Mytel 378, November 14.20 Considerable comment President Xuan’s plan for Dalat meeting of representatives all political elements and reaction guardedly favorable. Minister for Information and Propaganda called to explain plan more fully and stated about 160 delegates to be named, meeting scheduled late December [or] early January, appeal to Ho and other Resistance leaders to name delegate already in process, in meantime propaganda to inform populace of purpose and scope of plan.
Critics of plan (1) question how delegates to be apportioned to various parties and groups and how to be named and (2) suggest plan might better be worked out on smaller scale, say in Cochinchina, before trying it for whole country.
Leaders two groups intellectuals also called and while not optimistic of plan’s success Said they would not oppose and would even cooperate. They voiced belief, unless French made arms available to Nationalist forces to offset strength Viet Minh forces in countryside, Viet Minh would effectively control countryside in (1) naming delegates, (2) influencing result referendum and (3) winning elections. In comment may say there is widespread complaint that French arm partisan forces of uncertain loyalty but refuse to equip Nationalist anti-Communist forces.
Department will be interested in comment these leaders that complete withdrawal France from FIC would be disaster and lead to internal conflict (mytel 231, July 24), that France had a place in FIC, [Page 147] but that France cannot be trusted to apply honestly and loyally any agreements she many enter into. In comment may stress again that this lack of trust in France is keynote present impasse and present French manoeuvering and procrastination inspires no great confidence that policy divide and rule is in discard.
Believe Xuan’s plan has some small chance success and from conversations with both French and Vietnamese personalities consider that federation plan mentioned mydes 256, June 14, is in process of being worked out but realization this plan will be long delayed particularly as Vietnamese so divided. Fuller details plan forthcoming.
Please pass Paris.
- Not printed.↩