Compromise Possible

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31421, 14 July 1967, Page 9

Compromise Possible

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, July 13.

The North Vietnam representative in Paris, Mr Mai Van 80, and several other North Vietnamese envoys in foreign capitals recently returned to Hanoi, a well-informed British source said today.

All the envoys returned about the same time as Mr 80. But the source could not say whether they had been called back for consultations or not.

Nor is the exact date they Went to Hanoi known.

Commenting on Mr Bo’s trip, “The Times” today said that Western diplomats were speculating that the North Vietnamese had now reassessed their position and might, before long, be willing to ham-

mer out a compromise solution to end the Vietnam conflict.

The newspaper’s diplomatic correspondent said a possible reason was that it must now appear likely to North Vietnam that the United States would increase its forces in the South.

He added that the possibility of a clash between military and political leaders in Vietnam before the September Presidential elections had now faded. The Americans should, therefore, be able to consolidated the political base in Saigon in a month or two. "Die Times” said North Vietnam might also think that, with China at present neutralised, it was opportune to come to terms without the risk of any agreement being bedevilled by the arrival of Chinese “volunteers.” But British diplomatic sources said that they saw no change in North Vietnam’s position. They recalled that the unconditional ending of United States bombing of the North was one of Hanoi’s preconditions for talks. The observers noted last Sunday’s statement by Lord Brockway that North Vietnamese and Viet Cong envoys in Stockholm said Hanoi and the National liberation Front would hold peace talks with Washington, providing America unconditionally ended the bombing.

Lord Brockway, chairman of the British Council for Peace with Vietnam, said the envoys’ statement at a Stockholm “Peace in Vietnam” conference was being passed on to both President Johnson and the British Prime Minister.

He added that there seemed to be no basic alteration in Hanoi’s stand. But he did not think the envoys would have made their statement unless the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong were looking towards a possible solution.