Viet Cong clarify peace conditions

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32406, 19 September 1970, Page 17

Viet Cong clarify peace conditions

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, September 18. The Viet Cong’s chief negotiator (Madame Nguyen Thi Binh) yesterday offered to halt attacks on foreign troops in Vietnam, provided they agreed to quit South Vietnam by June 30 of next year.

She tabled the offer at the Paris peace conference to which she has returned after a three month absence, as part of a series of eight points to clarify the Viet Cong’s standing 10-point peace plan for a military and political settlement of the war.

She also made clear that the Viet Cong was ready to negotiate with a government which included members of the present Saigon regime—but excluded three of present leaders: President Nguyn Van Thieu, Vice-President Nguyn Cao Ky and Premier Thien Khiem.

Such an Administration would have to back peace, independence and neutrality, improve living conditions, release political prisoners and guarantee basic freedoms, she said.

Mrs Binh explicitly linked the question of the release of war prisoners to American acceptance of a withdrawal timetable. She said: “In case

the United States declares that it will withdraw from South Vietnam all its troops and those of the other foreign countries by June 30, 1971, the People’s Liberation Armed Forces will refrain from attacking the withdrawing troops." She added that both sides would then start talks on the safe withdrawal of troops, and the release of war prisoners.

The U.S. ’ chief negotiator (Mr David Bruce), said that the Americans would study the proposals, but he regarded them as “old wine in new bottles.”

In a first reaction, the South Vietnamese negotiator (Mr Pham Dang Lam), told reporters that Mrs Binh’s clarification dealt with the two known Viet Cong demands, rather than with the search for a peace settlement. “The Communist side has no right to demand a Government change,” he said.