Deliberate Delay Of Talks Denied

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31654, 15 April 1968, Page 9

Deliberate Delay Of Talks Denied

(N.Z.P.A. 'Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, April 14. United States officials have rejected charges, by North Vietnam that America is deliberately delaying the selection of a venue for preliminary Vietnam peace talks, the “New York Times” News Service reports. The officials say the United States is anxious for the talks to begin and is awaiting North Vietnam’s answer to its proposal that they should be held in Djakarta, Vientiane, Rangoon, or New Delhi. If all these prove unacceptable to Hanoi, the United States will willingly suggest other sites, including Geneva, Tokyo or Colombo the officials says.

Hanoi yesterday accused the United States of introducing new conditions into its arguments on the choice of venue for the talks and warned Washington to “stop creating difficulties” if it really wanted discussions. Washington sources disclosed last night that the United States would insist on having present at the preliminary talks liaison groups comprising observers from the South Vietnamese, South

Korean and, possibly, Thai Governments. These delegations would not take part in the talks, but would be on hand not only to transmit to their governments news of developments but to offset Communist propaganda seeking to suggest that the United States was. ready to “sell out” its South Vietnamese and other Asian allies. Given the United States desire to have the talks extensively covered—largely to frustrate Communist manoeuvres through large-scale publicity—Washington officials stress two needs: adequate communications facilities and a suitable atmosphere. The first need, they say, would rule out Pnom Penh, where there is no longer an active United States Embassy and, therefore, inadequate communications. The latter need would rule out Warsaw or any other Communist capital. These officials are mindful of the humiliating conditions imposed In 1951 by North Korean Communist officials on United States negotiators and news reporters in the first peace discussions at Kaesong. They recall that ViceAdmiral C. Turner Joy, then the chief United States negotiator, and American reporters had to carry white flags and were subjected to other forms of discriminatory treatment: and they are determined that such conditions will not be imposed again by the Communist powers in talks expected to become the focus of world attention. It is also recalled in Washington that because the Korean talks were held in a Communist-controlled area, United States and other allied news reporters often received “tips” and slanted Information from Communist colleagues before the United States and allied negotiators were prepared to brief them. Asked how the United States could reconcile its previously-publicised agreement to meet “anywhere, at any time” with its rejection

of such Communist capitals as Warsaw, one source noted that President Johnson, in his television address on March 31, had mentioned America’s willingness to meet “in Geneva or any other suitable place.” By “suitable,” the United States did not include sites where discrimination would be practised against either Communists or nonCommunists, but where negotiations and reporters from both sides could operate freely with access to adequate communications, the source said.