Office of the Historian

72. Telegram 12448 From the Department of State to All Diplomatic Posts, January 18, 1975, 0044Z.1 2

January 18, 1975, 0044Z

TELEGRAM
Department of State
012448

P 180044Z JAN 75

FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC POSTS PRIORITY

STATE 012448

DAKAR ALSO PASS BANJUL

E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: PFOR, PDIP, WHO, SZ, VS, VN

SUBJECT: PRG TO OPEN LIAISON OFFICE IN GENEVA
REF: A. STATE 8673; B. STATE 10509

1. SWISS GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED JANUARY 15 THAT, IN RESPONSE TO REQUEST FROM UN SECRETARIAT, IT WILL PROVIDE FACILITIES TO PRG TO CONDUCT LIAISON OFFICE FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS IN GENEVA. GOS SAID THAT OFFICE WILL HAVE NO OTHER ACTIVITIES EXCEPT THOSE LIMITED BY SECRETARIAT. GOS CAREFULLY NOTED THAT OPENING OF LIAISON OFFICE IN NO WAY IMPLIES TAKING OF ANY POSITION BY SWITZERLAND CONCERNING INTERNATIONAL STATUS OF PRG. (GOS DOES NOT RECOGNIZE PRG.)

2. IN FOLLOW-UP TO SWISS ANNOUNCEMENT UN SPOKESMAN NEW YORK TOLD PRESS JANUARY 16 THAT PRG GENEVA OFFICE IS NOT RPT NOT AN OBSERVER MISSION, WHICH IS A POLITICAL ENTITY, BUT A LIAISON OFFICE ESTABLISHED SOLELY TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN PRG REPRESENTATIVES AND UNHCR AND UNICEF OFFICIALS IN GENEVA WHOSE PROGRAMS OF ASSISTANCE IN INDOCHINA INCLUDE AID TO DISTRESSED PEOPLES IN PRG AREAS. UN SPOKESMAN STATED FURTHER THAT PRG REPRESENTATIVES COULD ATTEND UN MEETINGS IN GENEVA OTHER THAN HUMANITARIAN ONLY AS MEMBER OF PUBLIC.

3. USG MADE KNOWN ITS OPPOSITION TO OPENING OF PRG OFFICE IN GENEVA VIGOROUSLY AND REPEATEDLY TO UN SECRETARIAT AND TO SWISS DURING PAST SIX WEEKS, USING ARGUMENTS IN REFTELS. MOREOVER, WE POINTED OUT THAT PRG WOULD MOST PROBABLY USE ITS OFFICES PRIMARILY FOR POLITICAL RATHER THAN HUMANITARIAN PURPOSES. WE ALSO NOTED THAT PRESENT IS PARTICULARLY INAPPROPRIATE TIME TO ENHANCE PRG STATUS IN VIEW OF RECENT DRV/PRG MILITARY OFFENSIVE IN SOUTH VIET-NAM WHICH HAS PRODUCED WIDESPREAD FIGHTING AND SUFFERING.

4. ESTABLISHMENT OF PRG LIAISON OFFICE IN GENEVA DOES NOT IN ANY WAY CHANGE USG VIEWS OF PRG AS CONTAINED REFTELS, AND THOSE INSTRUCTIONS STAND. POSTS SHOULD BE VIGILANT IN COUNTERING ANY PRG ATTEMPTS IN FUTURE TO GAIN ADMITTANCE TO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES OR ORGANIZATIONS CITING THEIR OFFICE IN GENEVA AS BASIS FOR SUCH ADMITTANCE. KISSINGER

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Finney; cleared by McNutt, Wenzel, Schaller, and in EUR/CE; and approved by Miller.↩
  2. The Department notified posts of the opening in Geneva of a United Nations Liaison Office for humanitarian affairs by the Provisional Revolutionary Government and warned posts to be vigilant for attempts by the Provisional Revolutionary Government to enhance its international status.↩