Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume IX, Vietnam, October 1972–January 1973

300. Message From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (Sullivan) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)¹

Paris, January 18, 1973, 2219Z.

1. During side conversations with me January 18, several matters were discussed. I will lump them all in this message.

2. I asked Thach solemnly again for info on place and method of return for U.S. prisoners. He promised to get it for me.

3. We made arrangements for Kleber January 23 and I have instructed our Embassy to approach French Foreign Office tomorrow, January 19.

4. Thach asked for proposed text of announcement to be made at 2200 hrs January 23 in Washington concerning fact agreement has been initialled and will be signed January 27. Please send proposed text for opening of business January 19 Paris time.

5. Thach asked for texts we proposed use in notifying ICCS Embassies January 24. Please confirm that you and State concur in texts I forwarded.

6. Thach raised question of date and locus of international conference. We agreed to propose “mid-February” to our special advisers. As for locus, he proposed Paris which I rejected. I proposed Geneva which he rejected. He then gave Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Algiers and New Delhi. I thanked him for excluding Havana and agreed to send list to you. He pointed out that DRV was limited to those places where it had Embassies and thus communications.

7. Thach asked for my comments on his note re accommodations and facilities in Saigon. I told him I would reply when I had your comments, which I have now received.

8. Warm regards.

End message.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 119, Country Files, Far East, Vietnam Negotiations, Ambassador Porter’s File—Paris, June 1972–January 1973. Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. Sent via Guay and Scowcroft. A copy was sent from the White House to Haig in Saigon as Tohaig 59/WHS 3063 at 2303Z. (Ibid., Box 1020, Alexander M. Haig Special File, Gen. Haig’s Vietnam Trip, Tohaig 1–105, January 14–21, 1973 [1 of 2])