302. Backchannel Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Ambassador to Vietnam (Bunker)1

WHS 3072. Following is the text of a cable I have sent to Haig for his action when he sees Thieu:2

Begin text:

January 18, 1973

To: General Haig

From: Henry A. Kissinger

1.
Ambassador Bunker reports that in his conversation with Thieu January 18, 1973 when he presented the President’s letter,3 Thieu seemed concerned about what the President would say on the evening of January 23, 1973.
2.
First of all please make sure that Thieu understands that the President’s statement will be in the evening Washington time. You should tell him that it would be very helpful if he could speak simultaneously or shortly afterwards. This would be the morning of January 24 Saigon time.
3.
You should inform Thieu that according to present thinking the President’s speech will run no longer than ten minutes and will contain the following elements. He will announce that an agreement has been initialed and will be signed on January 27, 1973. He will state that the settlement fulfills our consistent objectives, as outlined in the President’s May 8, 1972 speech, i.e. ceasefire, return of prisoners, withdrawal and free choice for people of South Vietnam. He will not repeat not go into the specific provisions of the agreement. He will reaffirm that we recognize the GVN as the only legitimate government of South Vietnam and that we have a continuing obligation to supply it with necessary assistance. He will include some warm words for the Government and people of South Vietnam and call on the American people to remain vigilant so that the agreement is observed.
4.
The Vice President would then repeat the assurances contained in the President’s letter to Thieu and the President would renew them once again when he and Thieu meet around March 1, 1973.
5.
The text of the agreement will be released at 1100 Washington time on January 24 repeat January 24 and we would release the four-power agreement as the principal document.

Warm regards.

End text.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 860, For the President’s Files (Winston Lord)—China Trip/Vietnam, Sensitive Camp David, Vol. XXIV. Secret; Operational Immediate; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only.
  2. The message was sent to Haig as Tohaig 64/WHS 3073, January 19, 0158Z. (Ibid., Box 1020, Alexander M. Haig Special File, Gen. Haig’s Vietnam Trip, Tohaig 1–105, January 14–21, 1973 [1 of 2])
  3. See Documents 290 and 292.