War prisoner plan mooted

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32629, 10 June 1971, Page 11

War prisoner plan mooted

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, June 9.

A former Defence Secretary, Mr Clark Clifford, said last night that he had “reason to believe” that the United States could reach an agreement now with North Vietnam to end American involvement in the war by December 31 and obtain the the release of American prisoners of war within 30 days, the New York Times News Service reported.

In a speech, Mr Clifford outlined what he called a “concise, workable” plan that could be implemented without delay. It calls for a complete American withdrawal and a halt to all military activities In Indo-China by the end of the year. In exchange, North Vietnam and the Viet Cong would agree to release all American prisoners within 30 days of a joint announcement of the agreement by Washington and Hanoi.

in addition, the Communists would refrain from attacks on American military personnel during the period of withdrawal. Mr Clifford also included a safeguard in his plan that attempts to meet President Nixon’s contention that the North Vietnamese cannot be trusted to do more than discuss the release of the American prisoners it is holding. The agreement would be void, Mr Clifford said, and the United States obligation to withdraw suspended, if the Communists did not release the prisoners within 38 days of the agreement. The N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent, Bruce Kohn, writes that the Administration is sceptical about the chances of an imminent advance in the Vietnam peace negotiations in Paris after reports by various Congressmen that Hanoi’s attitude toward release of American prisoners of war is changing. Informed State Department sources said that United States peace negotiators had probed Hanoi’s position at recent meetings in Paris and offered secret talks. But there had been no change in its position and the offers of secret talks not taken up. “We’ve found in the past that reported concessions Hanoi is willing to make have all evaporated when they are questioned about them in Paris,” said one official. American defence officials

l believe the Viet Cong are i holding 78 United States ; prisoners in South Vietnam. • They think that many of the 540 American servicemen s listed as missing in the South i have been taken across the t border into North Vietnam. Hanoi claims to be holding 339 Americans in the North • but the Pentagon reckons I that it holds many more in ■ capitivity. Some 780 United i States servicemen are listed ■ as missing in the North.