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  4. Document 139

139. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State 1

Saigon, May 30, 1963, 4 p.m.

1076. CINCPAC for POLAD. On May 29 semi-official Vietnam Presse published text of GVN communique2 affirming freedom of religion in VN and reiterating that national flag must be given supremacy. Communique explains that regulations for display of national flag intended to emphasize it as symbol of national unity and not intended to be discriminatory toward any religion. Communique [Page 337] also asks that “international groups not having extended any support to our cause” not interfere in VN internal affairs. All GVN cadre instructed to conform to policy set forth.

Text of communique being pouched.

Comment: Communique may be public declaration suggested to President Diem by Ambassador Nolting (Embassy telegram 1050)3 issuance of which Diem had stated should be deferred until people had had time to reflect on various statements previously made.

Trueheart
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, SOC 14-1 S VIET. Confidential. Repeated to CINCPAC.↩
  2. For text of this communique, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1963, pp. 855-856.↩
  3. Document 131.↩