Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume VII, Vietnam, September 1968–January 1969

284. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State¹

Paris, January 16, 1969, 1420Z.

642/Delto 1160. From Vance. Ref: Paris 608 (Delto 1156).²

1. As Department aware from telecons during past 12 hours, our agreement with DRV became slightly unglued after they informed us of NLF concurrence (reftel). Things are now back on the track after this morning’s meeting with Lau (septel).³ The first procedural meeting at the Majestic will be held at 10:30 am Paris time Saturday.⁴

2. The sequence of events following yesterday’s meeting with Lau, to the extent that we know them, is as follows: DRV delegate Mai Van Bo went to see Quai Assist Direct Manac’h at about 5:30 pm to inform him of our agreement. The fact that Bo did this before the DRV informed us at 1800 of NLF concurrence was contrary to what we had agreed. Moreover, Bo gave Manac’h an inaccurate account of what had been agreed between us. When I later met with Manac’h at 7:30 pm, he said that Bo had at first suggested that the meetings would be in the large rather than the small conference room as agreed. Bo had also neglected to tell Manac’h that the table would be a solid circle and, finally Bo had insisted that in deciding the speaking order the French should draw lots in a manner which reflects the four party concept.

3. I told Manac’h that Bo had given him an incorrect account of our agreement and suggested that he contact him again promptly to set things straight. Manac’h met again with Bo and the minor misunderstandings about the conference room and the table were eliminated. Bo, however, insisted on his version of how to determine the speaking order. After receiving Manac’h’s account of his second meeting with Bo, I asked Oberemko to join me shortly after midnight and told him where things stood. Obermeko confirmed our understanding of the agreement on speaking order reached with Lau and said that he had seen Lau at 6 pm and Lau reported his meeting with me in a manner consistent with our understanding. At my request Oberemko then met with Lau at the Soviet Embassy and about three hours later sent First Secretary Bogomolov to report to me on the conversation. According to Bogomolov, there was a “misunderstanding” and it would have to be cleared up directly between me and Lau in the morning. I asked several times what kind of misunderstanding there had been and Bogomolov’s replies were rather cryptic, but he did express the view that “everything will be all right.”

4. At about 8 this morning Paris time, Lau called us seeking an immediate meeting, and the remainder of the story has been reported in a separate telegram. While it is not clear what happened between yesterday’s meeting with Lau and today’s meeting, we suspect that the “misunderstanding” was either Bo’s misunderstanding because of lack of familiarity with the agreed procedures or the NLF’s objection to the drawing of lots in our presence with only one winner. Perhaps it was a combination of both.

Harriman

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, HARVAN-Double Plus, Chronological Papers and Other Misc. Material. Secret; Flash; HARVAN/Nodis. Received at 9:41 a.m. Repeated to Saigon. Read also reported the sequence of events described in this telegram in situation reports based on telephone calls from Vance at 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 10 p.m. that day. (Ibid.)
2. See footnote 2, Document 282.
3. In telegram 757 from Paris/Delto 1174, January 17, Vance reported on the meeting he had with Lau in the DRV’s safe house in Choisy on the morning of January 16. Lau proposed that, in lieu of the French drawing lots or flipping a coin, his government was prepared to let the United States or GVN speak first in whatever order they desired, and then the order of speaking would be reversed and rotated henceforth. Vance agreed to the proposal. (Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Vietnam, Peace Talk Material for Ginsburgh-Hold for Ginsburgh)
4. January 18. Regarding the first procedural meeting of the expanded talks, see Document 286.