Office of the Historian

396.1 GE/5–2754: Telegram

Seventh Restricted Session on Indochina, Geneva, May 27, 3 p.m.: The United States Delegation to the Department of State

confidential
priority
Geneva, May 27, 1954—midnight.

Secto 327. Repeated information priority Paris 345, priority Saigon 122, Tokyo 95, London 215, Moscow 91, Phnom Penh, Vientiane unnumbered. Tokyo for CINCFE. Department pass Defense. Following is text of proposal presented at seventh restricted meeting by French delegation for settlement of military problem of Vietnam:

“(Further proposals will be put forward in the immediate future for Laos and Cambodia and it is understood that nothing agreed for any one area will prevent the entry into force of a cease-fire in all areas simultaneously).

1.
Representatives of commanders-in-chief of the two parties will meet at Geneva on blank.
2.
They will examine, in the first place, the delimitation of the zones of regrouping in Vietnam.
3.
They will present their recommendations and observations to the conference.
4.
It will be their task to propose the basis upon which the regroupment will be carried out, taking into account the following two principles: [Page 949]
(a)
The regroupment must not lead to a dismemberment of Vietnam, and
(b)
The regroupment has for its objective the re-establishment of peace and security in Vietnam.
5.
If it should be considered necessary, they will be able to request the conference to define such points as they consider useful.
6.
During this time, the conference will continue to study other problems relative to the peace in Indochina.”

Smith