Office of the Historian

275. Telegram From the Secretary of State to the Department of State1

Geneva, November 14, 1955—8 p.m.

Secto 293. Re Tosec 231.2 Molotov called on Macmillan November 14 as arranged and brought up subject of Vietnam. Macmillan and he agreed on following documents which they must consider as co-chairmen: (1) Pham Van Dong letter;3 (2) Mau letter;4 (3) Nehru [Page 580] letter;5 (4) Chou En-lai letter;6 (5) Report of International Supervisory Commission of October 1.7

Molotov recalled their conversation in New York and said that although it had been hoped that situation would improve, such was not case. ISC report brought out violations Geneva Agreements and co-chairmen had been slow in taking action. Molotov felt this must be done.

Macmillan agreed position not entirely satisfactory but comments from other members still outstanding. He gave Molotov agreed line on “consultation” and said Mau letter first step this direction. He suggested that perhaps Viet Minh might now come forward with concrete proposals and that he then could if necessary press Diem to pursue matter.

Molotov thereupon suggested that co-chairmen agree on joint letter to other members Geneva conference8 calling attention to above documents and to fact that Geneva Agreements not being executed in all respects and asking what action might be taken. Macmillan “agreed on the understanding that such communication be sent on informal basis” and emphasized word “informal”. If Molotov proposing “formal” basis, Macmillan would have to raise question Laos. According to British “Molotov somewhat demurred about Laos, because talks are going on there”. Molotov said if subject Laos were to be raised he would wish raise subject Cambodia since in his view US-Cambodian agreement not in accordance with Geneva Agreements. Nevertheless he thought there was advantage in co-chairmen confining themselves “at any rate for time being” to Vietnam. They might reserve consideration other questions until more suitable time and meanwhile not range over whole field Geneva Agreements. Macmillan agreed that a joint letter should be concerted here in Geneva and UK Delegation have asked Foreign Office send at once draft text to be communicated to Soviet Delegation.

. . . . . . .

Dulles
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 396.1–GE/11–1455. Secret; Priority. Repeated for information to Saigon, Paris, and London.↩
  2. See footnote 2, supra.↩
  3. Dated August 17.↩
  4. See footnote 5, Document 273.↩
  5. No copy of a Nehru letter has been found in Department of State files. According to telegram 993 from London, September 12, an approach was made in the form of a personal message from Nehru to Eden (contained in a memorandum from Madame Pandit to Macmillan) suggesting the desirability of a formal recommendation by the ICC that the two Geneva cochairmen discuss Vietnam while at the U.N. General Assembly in New York later in September. (Department of State, Central Files, 751G.00/9–1255)↩
  6. See footnote 2, Document 273.↩
  7. See footnote 3, ibid.↩
  8. For text, dated December 20, see Cameron, Viet Nam Crisis, vol. I, pp. 414–415.↩