U.S. Approach To Hanoi Reported

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31583, 22 January 1968, Page 11

U.S. Approach To Hanoi Reported

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright!

LONDON, January 21. A report in the “Sunday Times” today says that President Johnson is no longer insisting on some form of military de-escalation by North Vietnam in exchange for a halt in the United States bombing.

The report describes this as an important modification of the President’s terms for talks with Hanoi. It says Washington has

communicated its proposals to Hanoi, but does not say through what channels. Until now, the report says it had been assumed that, under President Johnson's “San Antonio formula,” the phrase that North Vietnam would not “take advantage” of a bombing halt implied some tangible reduction of the rate of Communist infiltration into South Vietnam. Now it is believed that the bombing would be halted if the North did not raise its present level of military activities “while discussions proceed.” This would mean that the present level of supply to the South would be acceptable, but that any increase after a halt would be considered escalation. In return, the reports says, the United States has expressed willingness not to send further reinforcements to South Vietnam; the 25,000 men scheduled to go there would not be sent. According to Washington officials who decline to be identified, however. President Johnson was seeking in his San Antonio speech some reasonable ground for assuming that his restraint of the bombing would be repaid in some miiitarily-signiflcant way. What kind of action he would deem “reciprocal” was left intentionally vague, these officials say.