Office of the Historian

182. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Laos1

Washington, April 4, 1968, 0139Z.

141478. Literally Eyes Only for Secretary and Ambassadors.

1.

As quickly as feasible please deliver following written message to highest ranking DRV official you can reach.

Begin Text. The USG has noted the April 3 statement of the DRV indicating “its readiness to send its representatives to make contact with U.S. representatives”.

The United States accepts the proposal of the DRV. Ambassador W. Averell Harriman will be available forthwith to establish contacts with the representatives of the DRV. For its part the U.S. would propose that such contacts be established in Geneva on April 8, 1968, but the U.S. will attempt to meet any reasonable alternative suggestions of the DRV for time and place for establishing such contacts. End Text.

2.
Please report soonest on action taken to deliver foregoing or any problem which arises in connection with delivery.2
Katzenbach
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27–14 VIET/CROCODILE. Secret; Immediate. Drafted by Read and Davidson on April 3; cleared by Harriman, Read, Bundy, and Rostow; and approved by Katzenbach. Also sent to Vientiane and repeated to Saigon and as Tosec 74 to Rusk in Wellington during his visit to New Zealand for the ANZUS Council meeting. The text of this message was repeated in telegram 142994 to New Delhi, Moscow, Paris, and London, April 6, and transmitted to U Thant in telegram 143091 to The Hague, April 7. (Ibid.) For a record of the ANZUS meeting, see Document 183.↩
  2. In telegram 5597 from Vientiane, April 4, Sullivan replied that Hurwitch hand-carried the sealed message, which included a request that it be transmitted to Hanoi, to the DRV Embassy. When told that the Charge, Nguyen Chan, was “out shopping,” Hurwitch left the message with his secretary. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27–14 VIET/CROCODILE)↩