DEVELOPMENTS IN INDOCHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00875R001100010030-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 15, 2008
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: April 1, 1973
• Content Type: SUMMARY

 Approved For Release 2008/02/15: CIA-RDP85T00875R0011000100 0-2
-- Top-Secret.. 25X1
DIRECTORATE o1'
IN`I'I;LLIGIiNCI:
Developments in Indochina
r-~
01
mow:
State Dept. review completed
Top Secret
1?~
1 April 1973
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1 April 1973
Page
1
Fighting re-
mained generally light throughout the
country over the weekend. The Viet
Cong are trying to push UN Secretary
General Waldheim into allowing a PRG
liaison office at the UN and are
acknowledging privately that they
face formidable handicaps in building
international support. The head of
Saigon's delegation to the bilateral
talks believes lie will be at a great
disadvantage in the talks.
CAMBODIA 4
Khmer insurgent forces are back on
the attack along Route 2 and have
again closed that highway between
Phnom Penh and Takeo. The insurgents
also are keeping up their harassing
attacks along the Mekong River and
have again closed Route 4 in the
southwest.
LAOS 5
Communist proposals on both political
and military matters were presented
to Souvanna on 29 March, suggesting
that the Pathet Lao wish to begin
serious d';cussions on implementa-
tion of the Lao peace agreement.
There was little military activity
during the weekend.
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SOUTH VIETNAM
maintained their pressure against the government's
Ranger camp at Tonle Cham in northern Tay Ninh Prov-
The Military Situation
Fighting remained generally light throughout
the country over the weekend, although the Communists
1 April 1973
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PUG Sti11 PUUhing For UN Preaenee
The Viet Cong are trying to push UN Secretary
General Wald',heim into allowing a PRG liaison office
at the UN. No doubt concerned over indications
that Waldheiri,, under heavy pressure, has backed
off from earlier interest in the PRG request, the
Communists have named a "permanent observer" to the
UN. According to press ticker, the Viet Cong's
envoy to Hanoi, Nguyen Van Tien, has been named to
the post. The move apparently is designed to pre-
?rent Waldheim from quietly avoiding the issue.
Viet Cong Political Problema
once again, the Viet Cong are indicating
25X1
an awareness that they face formidable p
o-
25X1
litical handicaps in their drive to build interna-
tional support, which they see as a vital part of
their political strategy. Foreign Minister Binh,
in a parting pep talk to Communist personnel in
Paris before her departure earlier this month, con-
ceded that international interest in the PRG-Saigon
bilateral talkE was waning, since the outside world
now regarded the conflict as an "internal Vietnamese
affair."
Madame Binh also acknowledged that the rest of
the world was not going tc come knocking on the PRG's
door to establish relations, and that a vigorous
diplomatic campaign therefore was necessary. Lament-
ing over a general shortage of cadre qualified to
serve abroad, Madame Binh said a number of experi-
enced diplomats were recalled recently to serve on
the joint military commission in Saigon.
1 April 1973
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Chief of GVN Delegation Peooi,niotic
The head of Saigon's delegation to the Two
Party Joint Military Commission (TPJMC) sees him-
self going into the talks with the Viet Cong at a
great disadvantage. General Thuan, in a conversa-
tion with US officials, complained that conflicting
guidance and a lack of direct access to President
Thieu will put him in a difficult position. He be-
lieves that the Communists view military and politi-
cal matters as a single entity, and that they are
able to come up with policies more rapidly and
effectively.
Discussing the fix-st meeting of the TPJMC on
29 March, Thuan said that substantive issues had
been taken up, with the Communists focusing on mat-
ters of security, movement, and immunities. Sai-
gon's response was noncommittal and actual progress
on these issues was negligible.
1 April 1973
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.Battamhaii
,Komp`ono Thom
CAMBODIA
11 )
Kompong Som ,.
Kirirom
?
Reoccupied by/
Kompong Ci;hnangr
4 :l
government i.
Poch Nil Puss
0ambush
Thfial Totting
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C \MBODIA
Tnourgent U-traooin(J Attacko
Khmer insurgent forces are back on the attack
along Route 2 and have again closed that highway
between Phnom Penh and Takeo. The sharpest action
occurred near Thnal Totung, some 30 miles south of
the capital. Insurgents ambushed an 11-truck muni-
tions convoy in that area on 31 March and reportedly
destroyed all of the vehicles. In addition, four
105-mm. howitzers were abandoned by retreating
Cambodian troops.
To the east, the insurgents are keeping up
their harassing attacks along the Mekong River.
Shellings and ground probes against several govern-
ment positions south of Neak Luong were carried out
on 31 March. At last report none of the positions
had fallen.
In the southwest, Route 4 has been closed again
in the vicinity of the village of Stung Chhay, some
50 miles north of the seaport of Kompong Som. After
government units pulled out of Stung Chhay on 30
March, enemy troops evidently reoccupied the area.
Elsewhere, belated reports indicate that on 29
March advance elements of a three-battalion govern-
ment force entered the former resort town of
Kirirom, north of the Pich Nil pass area of Route
4. Only light resistance was encountered. Kirirom
was the scene of heavy fighting in the first months
of the war and fell to the Communists in mid-1970.
1 April 1973
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Pathet Lao Pi-onoralo
The Commune.:;ts apparently are ready to begin
real discussions on the implementation of the Lao
peace agreement. Pathet Lao negotiator Phoune
Sipraseuth, during his meeting with Souvanna on
29 March, presented a lengthy document containing
Communist proposals on both political and military
matters. At the negotiating session with the
government the next day, Phoune demanded that
Souphanouvong be designated vice-prime minister
and that the Communists be given top I 'itions in
the new coalition government in the ..-stries of
interior, foreign affairs, public works, economics,
and plans. The two sides agreed that if ont. side
holds the top slot in a ministry, the other will
be given the number two position.
Government chief negotiator Pheng Phongsavan
rejected the demands for a Communist vice-prime min-
ister and interior minister, but told a US Embassy
official that Souvanna was prepared to make con-
cessions on other matters. Souvanna has instructed
Pheng to hold daily meetings with the Communists in
an attempt to reach agreement in time for the mid-
April ceremonies marking the Lao new year.
Military Activity
The only significant military activity on the
weekend occurred in the north where two enemy
companies supported by heavy weapons fire drove
government units fr,,m outposts some nine miles
northeast of Pha Dong, a government base south of
1 April 1973
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