CONDITIONS FOR TALKS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31276, 24 January 1967, Page 1

CONDITIONS FOR TALKS

After repeating that the Government of South Vietnam would not negotiate with Viet Cong because it was “the political arm of North Vietnam,” Air Vice-Marshal Ky told his first New Zealand press conference yesterday that there would not be opposition if a delegation from the North included Viet Cong representatives, but they could not be a distinct delegation.

He called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Dr. Tran Van Do) to answer one question on the Viet Cong. There were two categories of Viet Cong, Dr. Do said. There were the Viet Cong guerrillas in South Vietnam and the hard-core Communists who came from the North to fight South Vietnam. They would be given all facilities to go to the north. For the others, those misguided by Communist propaganda who genuinely thought they were fighting for independence, there would be the benefits of the “open arms operation.” They would be invited to join the community to rebuild the country. I The condition for peace I was first that the Communlist North Vietnam must stop infiltration—-stop sending reIgular troops south of the 17th parallel, Air Vice-Marshal Ky I said. Second, those who -wanted to go to live north of I the 17th parallel were free to do so. Those who wanted to live in South Vietnam were 'offered full reintegration. “We want to be left alone [in South Vietnam; that’s all,” |he said.

Asked then whether he thought Vietnam would remain permanently divided, he replied: “I mentioned a few days ago as a patriot, and I’m sure millions of Vietnamese are patriots, we cannot accept a permanent partition.”

Vietnam had more than 4000 years of history and many times had been dominated by aggressors, he said.

Many times in the past it had been divided into two, sometimes for 100 years, sometimes for 1000, but every time the aggressors had been defeated and the country unified. “So I confidently believe that some day Vietnam will be unified again,” he said. “For this, of course, all means are necessary—military, political, and social.”