TEXT OF(Sanitized)/SAIGON CABLE(Sanitized)DATED 4 DECEMBER 1971

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01720R000700030044-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 22, 2009
• Sequence Number: 44
• Publication Date: January 1, 2000
• Content Type: MEMO

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SUBJECT: Text of CAS/Saigon Cable
Dated 4 December 1971
25X1 111. At 0846 hours 4 December 1971 intermediary tele-
phoned. Call lasted 9- 1 / 2 minutes. Intermediary, who was same individual
25X1 as on 27 October and 27 November, started in English and conversation
was conducted in English throughout. He called on Embassy number
rather than the new number provided on 27 November.
V. is intermediary
A. HELLO.
V. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO
A. YES.
ARE YOU?
SPEAKING. GOOD MORNING. HOW
V. GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU?
A. HAVE YOU DISCUSSED OUR PROPOSAL OF 27 NOVEMBER
AND IF SO, DO YOU HAVE AN
ANSWER AND ANY INFORMATION FOR US?
V. YES, AH, A WEEK HAS PASSED AND ARE YOU IN
MEASURE TO ANSWER US CATEGORICALLY ON THE RELEASE
A. WE HAVE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME REVIEWING OUR
CONVERSATION OF 27 NOVEMBER AND WE WOULD LIKE
TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
DPMO review(s)
completed.
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State Dept. review completed
NSC review completed
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ON 10 DECEMBER AND GO AT THIS STEP
BY STEP. HAVE YOU RECEIVED OR ARE YOU WILLING
TO PROVIDE US WITH A LIST OF AMERICANS, FOREIGNERS
AND VIETNAMESE OFFICERS FROM
V. NO, NO, NO, NO. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THIS TIME.
THERE IS ONLY ONE THING, THAT IS, YOU RELEASE
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1) WE ARE PREPARED TO RELEASE
AT 1600 HOURS AT TAN GANG ROBON
ON 10 DECEMBER REPEAT 10 DECEMBER AT 1600 HOURS
ARE YOU PREPARED TO GO AHEAD WITH
THIS EXCHANGE?
V. YOU SEE WE HAVE DISCUSSED YOUR PROPOSAL LAST
TIME AND WE EMPHASIZE ON THE GOOD WILL THIS TIME
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE DISCUSSION, NO
BARGAINING THIS TIME. I HAVE TO SAY CATEGORICALLY
THIS TIME THAT YOU HAVE TO RELEASE IN ONE TIME
AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PRISONER OF WAR
AND WE SHALL GO AHEAD I\TEXT TIME. IF NOT, WE
STOP ALL DISCUSSION ON POW THIS TIME.
A. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR THE REST. AGAIN, AS I
STATED, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXCHANGE
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MAKE THINGS MOVE FASTER AND WILL ASSIST US IN
WORKING OUT THE DETAILS OF FUTURE EXCHANGES
THEN WE GO AHEAD. IF NOT WE STOP ALL THING THIS
TIME.
A. OKAY. AGAIN, I HAVE JUST GIVEN YOU OUR POSITION
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT IF YOU WILL MAKE THIS
EXCHANGE AND YOU PROVIDE US WITH A LIST, THIS WILL
AND TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS, BUT FOR THIS WE
NEED THE LIST OF AMERICAN, FOREIGNERS AND ARVN
OFFICERS THAT YOU NOW HOLD PRISONER. IN THIS
REGARD YOU SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE
ALSO OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN CUSTODY IN SOUTH VIETNAM
WHO WE ARE SURE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN EXCHANGING.
S~E-.C E i?/
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V. I'M SORRY. YOU SEE BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A QUESTION
OF ONE MAN OR TWO MAN, ONE IMPORTANT CADRE OR
TWO IMPORTANT CADRE. IT IS A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE
YOU SEE. AND THIS TIME THE PRINCIPLE IS ON GOOD
WILL. YOU SEE, FOR BOTH SIDES THERE WILL BE A
NUMBER OF EXCHANGE IN THE FUTURE. SO, WE EMPHASIZE
ON THE PRINCIPLE AND NOT THE BARGAINING OF ONE OR
TWO OR UPON THE DEGREE OF IMPORTANCE. I HAVE
SAID LAST TIME THAT WE ARE, FOR US SACRIFICE IS
DAILY USE. YOU SEE. SO, THIS TIME YOU HAVE TO
ANSWER US THAT IF OR NOT YOU RELEASE IN ONE TIME
AND NO BARGAINING
A. OKAY. LET ME CONTINUE HERE, PLEASE, LET ME
CONTINUE. THERE IS A POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
THAT WE CONSIDER AN IMPORTANT POINT. IN YOUR
TELEPHONE CALL OF 27 NOVEMBER YOU KEPT REFERRING
TO AN AGREEMENT RELATING TO THE RELEASE OF
SERGEANT JOHN SEXTON, JR. WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
IT CLEAR THAT YOU RELEASED SERGEANT SEXTON ON
YOUR OWN INITIATIVE WITHOUT GIVING US ANY FORE-
WARNING OR WITHOUT ANY PRIOR DISCUSSIONS,
IF NOT, WE STOP EVERYTHING TODAY.
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NOTIFICATIONS OR AGREEMENTS. WE BELIEVE IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT THE RELEASE
OF SERGEANT SEXTON WAS THE BEGINNING, THE
BEGINNING, OF THIS SERIES OF SECRET EXCHANGES
BUT IT IN NO WAY REPRESENTS ANY PART OF AN
AGREEMENT REACHED IN ADVANCE. DO YOU UNDER-
STAND THIS PONT.
A. NO, NO. YOU HAVE BEEN NOT, YOU HAVE NOT
BEEN FAIR PLAYING FOR THE TIME JOHN SEXTON, JR.
YOU HA
MAKE, MAKE, SO MUCH PROPAGANDA
WE HAVE AGREED THAT AFTER THAT, AFTER THIS
FIRST STEP FOR US WE RELEASE
COMRADE
ABOUT THE RELEASE OF JOHN SEXTON, JR.
WE HAVE AGREED THAT TO KEEP SECRET AND YOU HAVE
MADE SO MUCH PROPAGANDA ON THIS.
A. NO. NOW JUST A MOMENT NOW. I DIDN'T UNDER-
STAND WHAT YOU MEAN WE MADE SO MUCH PROPAGANDA
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ON JOHN SEXTON, JR. WE MADE ABSOLUTELY NO
PROPAGANDA ON JOHN SEXTON, JR. WOULD YOU
EXPLAIN THAT TO ME BECAUSE AGAIN YOU KNOW IN
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE PRESS IS FREE
AND WHEN HE RETURNED, NATURALLY, THE PRISONER
OF WAR ISSUE IS A VERY BIG ISSUE IN OUR COUNTRY
AND THE PRESS PLAY THAT SEXTON, JR. RECEIVED
GOING BACK TO THE UNITED STATES WAS A PERFECTLY
NORMAL THING IN OUR SOCIETY, AND THE AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT AGAIN MADE ABSOLUTELY NO....
V. (INTERRUPTING). I SEE. BUT ALL THIS ARE OF
THE PAST, AND NOW FOR THE FUTURE.
WE BELIEVE SWITCH TO PROPAGANDA ASPECT IN
EFFECT IS ADMISSION BY INTERMEDIARY THAT THEY
RECOGNIZE THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS AGREEMENT AND
THAT EARLIER REFERENCE TO "PREVIOUS AGREEMENT"
WAS SIMPLY PLOY ON THEIR PART:) THERE IS ONLY
ONE THING, EH? YES OR NO YOU RELEASE THIS TIME
IF NOT,
WE STOP TODAY.
A. NOW. MAY I CONTINUE ON OUR POINT OF VIEW
AGAIN?
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V. NO. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE YOU SEE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE
FOR US.
A. OKAY. BUT LET ME JUST CONTINUE TO READ TO YOU
ANOTHER POINT OR SO THAT WE HAVE. WE SUGGEST IN
ORDER TO HAVE SINCERITY ON BOTH SIDES WE MUST
START FROM THE SAME POINT, THEREFORE, WE
RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONSIDER OUR PROPOSALS AS
WE PUT THEM FORTH NAMELY THE EXCHANGE OF
AS THE FIRST STEP. AND THEN, WE IN TURN WILL
CAREFULLY STUDY EACH OF YOUR SUBSEQUENT PROPOSALS
AND WHEN THESE ARE SOUND WE WILL KNOW WHAT TO
DO. WE WILL ACT PROMPTLY AND WITH SINCERITY. DO
YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? WE ARE CONVINCED THAT OUR
RELATIONSHIP WOULD BE MORE PRODUCTIVE IF WE
COULD COMMUNICATE IN A MORE SATISFACTORY MANNER.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER A DIRECT FACE-
THE LIST ON 10 DECEMBER
TO-FACE MEETING WITH US IN SAIGON?
CAN YOU AGREE TO A MEETING IN
SAIGON? WE CAN GUARANTEE YOUR SECURITY ON THIS.
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')r-v4
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AND IF NOT N SAIGON, WHERE CAN WE MEET YOU?
V. NO, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THIS BECAUSE IT IS NOT
IN OUR PLAN. (0 COMMENT: WE FEEL THAT THIS
REACTION BY INTERMEDIARY IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT
WE KNOW ABOUT THEIR PREFERENCE FOR TELEPHONE
CHANNEL AND RELUCTANCE TO GO BEYOND IT. BELIEVE
HIS COMMENT ALSO INDICATES NARROW CONFINES
WITHIN WHICH INTERMEDIARY WAS WORKING.) FOR THIS
TO RELEASE
TIME, THERE IS ONLY ONE THING,
A.ND SOME OF HIS COMRADES. AND WE
SHALL GO AHEAD AFTER THIS TIME. AND IF NOT, WE
STOP EVERYTHING TODAY.
A. WELL, AGAIN I REGRETFULLY MUST SAY I HAVE
GIVEN YOU OUR POSITION, AND OUR POSITION IS FIRM.
WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL RECONSIDER IT AND CALL US
BACK AND LET US KNOW IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND.
V. SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M SORRY.
A. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND PLEASE DO CALL US
AGAIN.
V. THANK YOU. COMMENT: ALTHOUGH INTER-
ME DIARY MADE NO REFERENCE TO ANOTHER CALL, WE
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HAVE DEFINITE IMPRESSION HE DID NOT CLOSE OUT THIS
CHANNEL. )
A. GOODBYE.
2. From our close review it
is clear that we have gotten our complete message across. Our principal
impression of the 4 December conversation is that the intermediary was
very polite, almost deliberately avoiding anything which could be interpreted
as polemic, and expecting that we would not accept the proposed exchange
as put forward by him. His voice was definitely conciliatory as if he were
delivering a message he would prefer not to deliver. Equally significant
is the fact that he did not say he would not call back. Although he rejected
a face-to-face meeting, his manner of doing so (i. e. , his statement it
is not in the plan) seems to indicate he is working within the confines
of a narrow script with no latitude to negotiate at this time. This leads
us to conclude that he will probably make telephone recontact after re-
grouping with his superior. We still firmly believe their primary interest
lies in recovery of as indicated by the frequent referral
to him as first of two individuals under discussion and the use of "Mr. "
in each instance.
3. Ambassador Bunker was briefed. His and our view at this point
is that we should sit tight and await another call. The Station Chief is
working out arrangements to brief General Abrams. "
52C"_7
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