PEACE COMES TO INDOCHINA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27408, 22 July 1954, Page 11

PEACE COMES TO INDOCHINA

East And West Agree On Cease Fire

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 11 P-m.) GENEVA, July 21. Agreements bringing to an end the fighting in two of the three Indo-China States, Vietnam and Laos, were signed early today. The signing of the cease fire in the ftird State, Cambodia, was held up by a last-minute hitch, but is expected to take place later in the day.

A full agreement for the cease fire in all three States was tfinehed m a two and a half hour meeting between the leaders ,f East and West which ended 90 minutes after the deadline 4 by the French Prime Minister (Mr Mendes-France) for a jettlement.

The X ietnam and Laos cease-fire documents were signed it 150 a.m. (G.M.1.) as dawn began to break over Geneva. It was a last-minute hitch over Cambodia which cheated He French Prime Minister of the satisfaction of fulfilling to the letter his pledge of securing peace by midnight, but it was oily a technical setback and he went to bed a tired and happy jun.

Trie agreements were signed by Brigadier-General Henri Noel Delteil, ♦£ e< i? 0 ’ representing General Paul Ely, the French commander in Indo-China ™ d -_P olonel Ta Quang Buu, ViceMinister of Defence of the Vietminh regime which has fought France for more than seven years. Both wore civilian clothes.

Vietnam, the largest state and one where the worst fighting raged, was not represented at the ceremony. A Vietnamese spokesman said that France, which commands her troops in the .field, informed her of the time of signing only half an hour before it took place. The Vietnamese delegation decided not to attend the ceremony. General Delteil signed the two agreements first. Both cease fires bore yesterday’s date.

None of the leading figures in the drama—Mr Eden, Mr Molotov, and Mr Mendes-France—was present at the signing ceremony. Delegation representatives attending included Mr Jean Chauvel, the French Ambassador to Switzerland. Colonel Gilbert Monckton (Britain), and Lieutenant-Colonel John E. Dwan (United States).

The soldiers signed the cease fire documents at an oval table in a small room near the council chamber, where the final historic session of the ninenation conference will set the seal on its ten and a half weeks’ labours later today. Hitch Over Cambodia The last-minute hitch over the Cambodian agreement arose over an objection by Cambodia to a clause in the cease fire agreement which would give the anti-Government rebels a regrouping area in the state. This was cleared up at a meeting of the key ministers at Mr Eden’s villa. Under the agreements, Vietnam will be partitioned roughly along the 17th parallel, giving the cities of Hanoi and Haiphong and the rich rice bowl of the Red River delta, and 13,000.000 of the country’s 22,000.000 population to the Communist Vietminhese. The opposing forces are to be regrouped and transferred to their own sides of the demarcation line, which follows the course of the Song Ben Tai river. The one regroupment zone north of the line for French troops is in the Hanoi-Haiphong area in the Red River delta. The Vietminh forces have four of the five regroupment zones south of the line. Progressive Evacuation These zones are to be progressively evacuated over a period of 300 days until all forces have been moved to their own territory. The cease fire agreement includes provisions that there will be no reprisals. and a guarantee of democratic liberties. The agreements for Vietnam and Laos come into force as from yesterday, but the measures for carrying out the cease fire will be made effective progressively in the various sectors.