CEASE FIRE DEVELOPMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00875R000700010002-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 31, 2004
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: April 20, 1973
• Content Type: REPORT

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Cease-Fire Developments
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20 April 1973
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20 April 1973
CEASE-FIRE DEVELOPMENTS
SOUTH VIETNAM
PRG views on Relations with the
South
Saigon's View of the Talks
The Military Situation
More POL Pipeline Construction
CAMBODIA
The Military Situation
The Military Situation
INTERNATIONAL
China Joins in Protesting US
Bombing
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SOUTH VIETNAM
PRG Viewo on Relatiorso with South
The PRG appears frustrated over the deadlock
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in the Paris talks, and is casting about for some
way to gain. tactical leverage against the GVN.
--the PRG has no "solid ideas" on how to get
the talks off dead center. Therefore, they
were turning to their "big brothers to the
North" to provide some e4;pertise in nego-
tiating.
--The PRG had "exhausted its current trump
cards" without budging Saigon on the issue
of "democratic liberties."
the PRG has not
abanuoneu its nope or progress and claimed that it
still "much prefers a political solution to a mili-
tary one." It has concluded, he said, that this
indeed is the most likely scenario.
that Thieu's trip to the US ecr' the PRG's
theory that he is in "trouble." The Communists are
trying to put the best face forward, but appear dis-
appointed with the success of the Nixon-Thieu talks.
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Saigon's View a,_the Talks
The Thieu government is apparently also searching
for ways to break the deadlock in the Paris talks
with the Viet Cong. A Foreign Ministry official in a
conversation with US Embassy officers in Saigon noted
that one of Saigon's delegates is now in South Viet-
nam discussing new approaches to the Paris talks
with President Thieu. The official also hinted that
another effort may be made soon to initiate secret
talks with the Viet Cong.
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Thieu wants Saigon to maintain the appearance
of a reasonable and flexible negotiator without
abandoning its basic principles. Saigon still hopes
that the Viet Conk gill agree to its proposals to
discuss elections first. The Thiou government will
not agree to put the question of "democratic liber-
ties" in South Vietnam at the top of the agenda, be-
cause the Viet Cong would simply use the issue for
propaganda purposes and no progress would be possible.
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The Military Situation
There were sporadic Communist shellings in
Quang Tri Province on 19 and 20 April, but no major
rirnunr3 action han hAnn rADorted sn far.
north of the capital. In the delta, South V etnam-
ese forces are encountering stiff resistance to clear-
ing operations along the Mekong River in the Hong Ngu
area.
More POL Pipeline Construction
Itne communists nave ex-
tended their DMZ pipeline southward to Route 9 ;n
eastern Quang Tri Province, where they are building
a petroleum storage facility. Four bladder-type
storage tanks were observed near a bunker, and more
than 20 steel tanks were scattered throughout the
area. The pipeline ends near the inflatable tanka,
suggesting they may already be in use. When all of
the tanks are installed, the storage facility will
have a capacity of roughly 130,000 gallons. The
facility's location, astride Route 9, will allow
the Communists to distribute the petroleum to units
throughout the province.
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CAMBOi :A
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The Military Situation
Government troops on 20 April withdrew a short
distance from the village of Siem Reap, some 12 miles
south of Phnom Penh on Route 2 following heavy Com-
munist attacks. A preliminary report indicates 20
Cambodians were killed and 150 wounded. Some 20
miles west of the capital, the Communists have over-
run a government unit on Route 26, and now control
about four miles of that road. The Khmer Communists
expanded their control over Route 5 following the
loss of two more government positions on 19 April
some 40 miles northwest of Phnom Penh.
In the southwest, Communist troops continue to
put pressure on government defensive positions some
eight miles east of Kampot City. The US defense at-
tache--who visited Kampot on 19 April--reports that
the city can be defended adequately as soon as more
reinforcements arrive. Elements of one government
brigade have already been flown into Kampot. The
government commander at Kampot told the attache that
US air strikes have been largely responsible for keep-
in the Communists away from the city.
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The MiZitary Situation
According to delayed reports, Communist units
on 18 April shelled and assaulted a government posi-
tion some 25 miles south of Pakse. The government
troops held their ground. In the north, elements
of the government force retreating from Tha Viang
have begun arriving at Muong Decha, a major Meo
r
efugee center some 25 miles southwest of Tha Viang.
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INTERNATIONAL
China Joins in Protesting US Bombing
An authoritative Chinese commentary on recent
American military moves in Laos and Cambodia, which
appeared in Peop Zc 's Daily on 20 April, is rela-
tively tepid compared to earlier Lao and Cambodian
Communist protests. People 'a Daily is far more
circumspect in treating US actions and motives, and
did not address itself to the implications of US
bombing on stability in Indochina and East Asia.
Although the formulations have been used before, the
article appears to be a milder expression of Peking's
views than recent Chinese statements on the subject.
Moreover, in making its point about violations,
People's Daily spells out the provisions of the
cease-fire agreements regarding foreign intervention
in Laos and Cambodia in a deadpan way apparently
intended to leave the impression that Peking takes
a dim view of intervention by any foreign country-
a nuance unlikely to be lost on the North Vietnamese.
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