STATEMENT Deleted THAT THE LPF PLANS TO EXCHANGE 180 POW'S ON 19 SEPTEMBER

Created: 9/10/1974

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

Intelligence Infonnation Cable

THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTEUJGENCE

ttST EPTEPBER

COUNTRY LAOS

STATEMENT

THE LPF PLANS TOOW? ONEPTEMBER

SUMMARY)!

1

END SUMMARY,

JO implement the agreement (jcia) ON PRiSONlR

of(po-)T0 DI,CUSS Planning tor the poh

exchange oneptember on the plain OP jars.

in agreement that there hill BE

ONLY THE ONE POH EXCHANGE ONEPTEMBER ON THE EDGEPLAIN Or JARSt ATEPTEMBER

MEETING OP THE LAO ARHEcTrORGES trAR)CHAIRED BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL Of TmEi THaT

!'; "

Hfi BELIEVEO THAT THE LPP HAS PLANNING ON AN EXCHANGE AT ONE

1 ?! iR>Et

THEREEETING

* yj PAGCJ

_ secre/

ONLY ON

HE

FOR THE FAR

THIS POINT AND RECOMMENDED THAT THERE BE AGREEMENT ON THE SINGLE POINT ONEPTEMBER TO EASE TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS. FAR DECIDED TO ACCEPT THE ONE POINT ONLY.)

3.1

EST FLIGHT TO

SAVANH AIRPORT

EST FLIGHT ONEPTEMBER. TO DEPART

VIENTIANE0 HOURS. HE REQUESTED FULLTHE PLANE. TO BER DC-3. INCLUDINGAS TYPE OP AIRCRAFT, MARKINGS AND CONFIRMATIONAKEOFF. THAT ROYAL LAO AlR FORCE tRLAF)

REPRESENTATIVES MOULD MAKE THE FLIGHT To INSPECT THE FIELD

AND THE AREA. AND HOULD PERHAPS BE ACCOMPANIED BY CIVIL

AVIATION SPECIALISTS FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS HIN1STRY. |

URVEY FLIGHT OVER THE AREA BY HELICOPTERTO LOOK OVER THE LANDING STRIP FROM THE AIR PRIORARRIVAL OF THE TEST PLIGHT.THAT THE LPP

WOULD HAVE TO STUDY THE QUESTION AND RESPOND LATER *

EXCHANGEB HOURS ON 17

e '

TO EXCHANOE THE LISTS FOR THIS

SUGGESTED THAT

s ofAWS

e'hanqe the lists. but that

in his opinion the jcia should exchange the lists: -that morning.doing so at the LPr

somboun headouarters at phonxay,

5.that the lists prepared by

each side should have the same format ano that thereseparate lists for each nationality.hoh many

prisoners the lpf planned to release oneptember. saving thatntianc side planned to release approximately lSS replied that the lpf planned to release approxi-

pow's,

risoners. when asked hon many of the pom's would be lao. thai and american*!" [responded that he did not as yet have the figures and mould not be drawn into speculation on the point,

comment!

acting lpf chief thienothah

said that the lpp does plan to release emhet kay during

i' i ;

the forthcoming prisoner exchanges but did not specify mhether

kay's release mould take place in the initial exchange nor ,

did he give indication whether other americans mould be

released. nothing having come up at theuoust meeting

PAGE L OfAOI3

to indicate that there *re hone american pom's in lpf hands than kay , there hayen more american prisoners alive in lpf hands. but no nem hard information to this effect has become |requested that the pow's not be listed bt rank ano asked why all lpf prisoners being held by far here not being released at this time since he knew that far held more than the iSi, | [replied that some row's had been captured in south laos and were to be released there. likewise, poh's captured in north laos would be

sked that all lpf poh's be released

released there.

oneptember on the plain of jars as releasing poh's inanner would ease lpf handling problems. agreed

3oo/ asksrM<

PAGEfAGES

SECJ

TOE0UEST HI TH HIS SUPERIORS.

6, AGREEING THAT ONEPTEMBERWOULD BE

READY POP TAKEOFF PROM WATTAY AIRPORT0 HOURSSAVANH,OBSERVERS TO BE

PRESENT AT THE EXCHANGE* THEY AGREED THAT SIX INTERNATIONAL CONTROL COMMISSION lICO DELEGATES COULD AND SHOULD, THREE OP WHOM HILL BE FROM THE INDIAN DELEGATION ANO THREE

PROM THE POLISH.THAT THE LPF PLANNED TO HAVE

ONLY THO OF ITS JCIA DELEGATES THERE.THAT HE

THOUGHT THAT ALL JCIA DELEGATES FROM EACH SIDE SHOULD ATTENO ANO THAT THE VIENTIANE SIDE HAS PLANNING TO SEND NINE INCLUDING ITS SEVEN JCIA DELEGATES AND THO MEMBERS OF

THE VIENTIANE SIDE JCIATHAT SUCH A

large number WaS not on receiving an

ACCOUNT OF THE MEETINGVIENTIANE SIDE CHIEF

ILAYSAN AGREED THATAS NOT NECESSARY TO SEND ALL THE VIENTIANE SIDE JCIA DELEGATES, .

ft

agreed to limiting lao press representatives to five. said that the lpf has refused to permit representatives

7 nam*

PAGES

OF THE XAT LAO AND 5IENQ SERI NEWSPAPERS TQ ATTEND.

REQUESTED THAT REPRESENTATIVES

OF THE FOREIGN PRESS BE ASKED TO REQUEST PERMISSION TO ATTEND PROM THE INFORMATION MINISTRY AND THAT THE INFORMATION MINISTRY INFORM THE JCIA OP THOSE PERMITTED TO ATTEND.

THE VIENTIANE SIDE PLANS TO USE

THREE'S AND HAVEECURITY TROOPS AgOARD EACH

FLIGHT TO GUARD THE ROW'S BEFORE RELEASE. WHY

THERE WOULD BE SO MANY, ADDING THAT HE THOUGHT THATSHOULD BE ENOUGH IN EACH

THIS TOPIC HAD BEEN DISCUSSED AT LENGTH ATEPTEMBER MEETING OF THE FAR COMMITTEE ON POW EXCHANGE AT WHICH THE DECISION HAS MADE TO HAVEUARDS ABOARD EACH PLANE TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS NO TROUBLE CREATED BY THE NORTH VIET-

PAG** IG'AGES

NANESE POM'S, ALSO DISCUSSED HAS THE OUESTION OF HANDCUFFS ON THE POM'S IF ENOUQH HANDCUFFS COULD BE FOUND. HECK HAS TO BE HADE WITH THE LAO NATIONAL POLICE, THE MILITARY POLICE AND PERHAPS MITH USAID*)

SAID THAT RLAF PLANS

TO USE DC-3'S TO TRANSPORT JCIA REPRESENTATIVES. ICC DELEGATES* REPRESENTATIVES-OF THE LAO AND FOREIGN PRESS AND OTHER VISITORS. 9.

WHEN T THE LPF HAD ASKED THATFWl "ELD

THE VIENTIANE SIDE BE RELEASED ONEPTEMBER AT THE PLAIN OF JARS EXCHANGE POINT, FAR CONCERN HAS REVIVED THAT ONCE THE VIENTIANE SIDE-HELD POM'S ARE RELEASED, THE LPF MOULD REFUSE

HE

TO CONTINUE RELEASING POM'S HELDi

VIEHS AND IN FACT ASKED THAT FAR BE PRESSED TO RELEASE MORE 'HAN THEOH'S AS PLANNED,)

10. DETAILS

S ET

thought that far should release onlyoh's oneptember Icommenti soukan is not as vet aware of

M

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Original document.

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