258. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State1
Secto 2. During call on Secretary last night (September 26) Macmillan raised question of Vietnam. Macmillan said he concerned about attitude of Vietnam Government and feared that if it continued to oppose discussion with Vietminh re elections ICC would throw in the sponge. He was particularly concerned that India would either suggest withdrawal of ICC or request formal meeting of co-chairmen of 1954 Geneva Conference. He said that if ICC withdrew Vietminh might engage in overt military action. He asked the Secretary’s views.
The Secretary said he understood US, UK and French representatives in Vietnam agreed that best course of action was to urge Diem to hold elections in Free Vietnam. If Diem agreed to elections he could then take position he understandably unwilling to enter consultations with Vietminh until he had mandate from Vietnamese people. US was urging Diem to follow this course of action. Secretary suggested that if Indians press Macmillan he should point out that Diem does not have authority to speak for Vietnamese people until elections in South Vietnam are held and that UK, US and France all urging Diem to hold such elections as soon as practicable.
Macmillan agreed and said that he was engaged in a stalling operation with Indians to prevent them from either bringing matters to a crisis re withdrawal of ICC or insisting on a formal meeting of the Geneva co-chairmen which he strongly opposed, particularly since he had “inherited UK co-chairmanship from Eden.”
Tosec 32 reached us only this morning.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/9–2755. Secret; Priority.↩
- Document 256.↩