Impatience With Saigon Shown

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31836, 14 November 1968, Page 13

Impatience With Saigon Shown

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, November 13. American officials show signs of losing patience with South Vietnam over its Continued refusal to join the broadened Paris peace talks. The Defence Secretary (Mr Clark Clifford) yesterday reflected increased United States frustration over Saigon’s objection to sitting down with the National Liberation Front—political wing of the Viet Cong.

Speaking with unaccustomed emotion and annoyance, he hinted at a press conference that the United States would risk a deeper split with its ally by going ahead with purely military talks with Hanoi if Saigon did not change its position.

Every effort should be made to demonstrate to Saigon why it should join broadened talks

but a decision might eventually have to be made on whether to go ahead without them, he said. If Saigon chose not to reverse its decision “I believe the President has the constitutional responsibility of proceeding with the talks," Mr Clifford said.

The Defence Secretary said he was not anticipating the United States becoming involved in the issue of a political settlement in Vietnam, which was up to South Vietnam and Hanoi. But Hanoi and the United States could work out an arrangement for limiting the level of combat, for bringing down casualties and for withdrawal of North Vietnamese and American forces, he said. During the press conference, Mr Clifford also showed

irritation with Presidents Nguyen Van Thieu of South Vietnam for waiting until the last moment to announce his objections to enlarged talks. He said President Johnson had worked for five months and a half to obtain agreement with Hanoi on talks after a United States bombing halt over North Vietnam. The President felt he had to proceed with his bombing halt announcement since he

was committed to Hanoi, Mr Clifford said. “In addition to that, after all that we have done in that country after the enormous contribution that has been made, with the knowledge that we had gotten to the point where we had, the President was absolutely right in not giving Saigon a veto,” he said. “I do not believe you can work along with your partner up to the very last instant with the understanding fully complete as to what the arrangement is and then suddenly have Saigon change its mind and not go ahead.” Mr Clifford was leaving here today to attend a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ministerial meeting in Brussels.

According to the Associated Press, Pentagon officials say they believe that Saigon, faced with the prospect of having to settle its political differences with the Viet Cong alone, will drop its boycott of the broadened peace talks. This prospect appeared implicit in the declaration by Mr Clifford that the United States intends to go ahead with negotiations with Hanoi whether Saigon joins in or not. The view that President Theiu would end his boycott, was disputed in Paris and Saigon. In Saigon, a responsible official who declined to be identified said talks between Hanoi and the United States would be considered invalid and that peace tearms could come only in direct talks between Hanoi and Saigon. Mr Pham Dang Lani, head of Saigon’s observers in Paris, said he did not think his Government would change its mind and join the talks under the four-party formula that would bring the Viet Cong to the bargaining table on Hanoi’s side. Although Pentagon authorities said Mr Clifford spoke for himself, the Defence Secretary generally reflects the views of President Johnson. According to United Press International, a Saigon Government spokesman said Mr Clifford’s statement “contains several points that are not correct.” “Mr Clifford said the Republic of Vietnam had agreed to a four-delegation conference but later broke its promise," Mr Ton That Thien said.

“I want to emphasise again that the Republic of Vietnam never made such a promise.” United States sources give a different version. They contended the United States carried out full consultations for the last five months with the Saigon Government on the progress of the Paris talks, filling in President Thieu on al the details, and added that he was in agreement on the United States approach until, as Mr Clifford said, “ virtually the last minute.”

Plea For Release.—Mr Gerald Long, the General manager of Reuters, today called on all men of good will to press for the release of Reuters Peking correspondent, Anthony Grey, who has been detained without charge by the Chinese for 16 months. —London, November 13.