VIETNAM: ATTITUDE TOWARD PARIS TALKS

Created: 5/12/1977

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

fiPPPOUtD fOR REtEASE DATE:0

INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Directorate of Intelligence7

IMTRTXTGEHCE MEMORANDUM

VIETNAM: ATTITUDE TOWARD PARIS TALKS

The evidence we have seen to date regarding Hanoi's reaction to the first round of talks this month wxth the Ss has been mixed. One theme that does come through, however, is that the Vietnamese are sticking by their dS or US economic assistance and intend to press this case more vigorously at the second round of talks.

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The cabinet minister warned that Hanoi would not take the same "soft" line during the next round of talks. In the next round, he said that Hanoi would attempt to cut the linkage between the MIA and assistance issues and focus on the US "obligation" to provide economic assistance under Articlef3 Paris accords.

A more strident and pessimistic tone also has been reflected this week in Hanoi's propaganda reaction to the US House of Representatives vote against any discussion of US reconstruction aid and follow-up State Department affirmation that aid under Articleould not be considered. Hanoi describes these moves and statements as proof that the US went into the talksegative attitude. In contrast to the more positive initial Vietnamese reaction in Paris, Hanoi's propaganda now professes to see the US agreement to Vietnam's UN membership as merely an admission of the inevitability of this event ratherignificant concession.

Hanoi warns that whether or not the comingParis is successful depends entirely on theVietnam's "good will and justice" toward thebeen evidenced by its "good faith" in providing

on the mi As.

hints of some limited Vietnamese flexibility

have seen relate to modalities rather than the basic

Vietnamese determination to press the issue ofaid. ay, during the first round of talks, the counselor of the Vietnamese embassy in Paris saidthe Vietnamese were considering asking forneipon specific industrial reconstruction projects or oil exploration rather than an outright grant, hoping that the US might be more responsive to this arrangement. Before the opening of the first round of talks, the Vietnamese ambassador in Paris said that the Vietnamese would accept any reasonable indicationS willingness to provide aid, and that details could be worked out after everyone had "become friends."

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The Vietnamese do appear committed to continuing the talks,rotracted basis if necessary. Even before the initial meetings in Paris, one Vietnamese diplomat expressed Hanoi's recognition that the talks might be longer and more difficult than the Kissinger-Le Due Tho discussions

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Original document.

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