257. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Burma 1
202. Eyes only for Ambassador from Secretary.
- 1.
- President has decided that he wishes defer resumption of bombing for several more days. We are most anxious that word of this action be conveyed directly to DRV, although we are also naturally conveying message to key Communist governments that are in touch with Hanoi.
- 2.
- Accordingly, you should convey aide-memoire in text given below in some manner to DRV Ambassador Rangoon. Moscow experience last May was that DRV Ambassador refused to meet with Kohler or to accept written communication. However, junior member of Embassy was able to hand written note to junior member of DRV Embassy staff so that effective delivery was achieved even though DRV Embassy returned note on following day allegedly unopened. We would suspect DRV Embassies may now have prior instructions to reject any communication from us, and you will have to explore carefully how to make first move in way that would ensure physical delivery of note to some DRV representative, even if, as we expect, Ambassador himself refuses to receive you. Use of reliable Burmese intermediary is not excluded if purpose can only be achieved in this way. If necessary, you could approach appropriate level RGUB to remind them of Burmese willingness, expressed to U Thant apparently during 1964, that Rangoon would be available as site for contacts between US and DRV. We leave method entirely to you, but action should be taken soonest and in way that ensures effective delivery. Please give full account of actions you take and of DRV reactions.
- 3.
- Text of aide-memoire is as follows:
Begin text:
“1. As you are no doubt aware, there has been no bombing in North Viet-Nam since December 24 although some reconnaissance flights have continued. No decision has been made regarding a resumption of bombings and unless there is a major provocation we would hope that the present stand-down, which is in its fifth day, could extend beyond New Year. If your government will now reciprocate by making a serious contribution toward peace, it would obviously have a favorable effect on the possibility of further extending the suspension.
“2. I and other members of my Embassy staff stand available at any time to receive any communication you may wish to address to me or to us.”2
End text.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 27 VIET S/PINTA. Secret; Flash; Nodis; Pinta. Drafted by William Bundy, cleared by U. Alexis Johnson, and approved by Rusk.↩
- In Paris, Paul Sturm was instructed to inform Mai Van Bo of his knowledge of this telegram and that a possible DRV response to a bombing cessation would be “a clear major reduction in level of VC military activity and terrorism in SVN.” On January 1, 1966, Sturm tried to contact Bo but was told that Bo was sick. On January 3, Sturm met with Vo Van Sung of the DRV delegation in Paris and gave him a copy of the Rangoon aide-memoire. (Telegrams 3707 and 3732 from Paris, January 2 and 3, 1966; ibid., POL 27-14 VIET/XYZ)↩