VIETNAM AD HOC WORKING GROUP MEETING, JUNE 29, 1971

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-489-1-15-2
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: April 3, 2012
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: July 9, 1971
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/03: LOC-HAK-489-1-15-2
MEMORANDUM
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
INFORMATION
July 9, 1971
T SENSITIVE
Vietnam Ad Hoc Working Group Meeting,
June 29, 1971 OSD Review Completed
Ambassador Sullivan began by discussing the Pentagon Papers. He
said that we should be prepared for a Supreme Court ruling against
the Government, Mr. Bennett said that some Supreme Court watchers
felt that the delay in the announcement of any ruling by the Supreme
Court so far indicated that it might rule at least partially in favor of
the Government. Sullivan said that in any event the State Department
would be taking steps to repair the damage with foreign embassies. He
said that it would also be wise to watch Congressional reaction now that
the Congress had two copies of the study. It is possible, Sullivan said,
that the Congress might begin to propose standards of declassification,
not only for the study, but for all information within the Executive
Branch.
Sullivan then referred to a cable from Paris which reported on Le Duc
Tho's press interview which he gave upon his arrival at the airport.
The cable indicated that Le Duc Tho's statements were rather negative;
the press, however, was reporting that Tho seemed to b.: quite positive
and forthcoming. Sullivan said that he would query Paris for more
details on the press interview. Sullivan also remarked that there was
a general feeling that Tho's return presaged another gambit by the other
side. Madame Binh, rather than Tho himself, would be likely to announce
any new proposal.
Sullivan asked Mr. Constant for some background on Colonel Hack-worth's
recent criticisms of U. S. military operations in Vietnam. Sullivan referred
to a current press story indicating that Hackworth might be in store for
some disciplinary action. Mr. Constant replied that there was no such
move underway within the Army. Despite Hackworth's public criticisms,
Constant said that General Abrams had asked to see Hackworth before he
left Vietnam in order to get a personal reading on Hackworth's opinions.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/03: LOC-HAK-489-1-15-2
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/03: LOC-HAK-489-1-15-2
'TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE
Sullivan reported briefly on his consultations with Froment Meurice, -
Asian Affairs Director in the French Foreign Ministry. Sullivan said that
as expected, Froment Meurice was urging the U. S. to set a withdrawal
date.
Sullivan then announced that he would be seeing Tran Van Don later in
the day. Sullivan said that Don had asked for a private appointment, but
that he (Sullivan) was not sure whether this was a good idea. Mr. Carver
strongly urged Sullivan to have a third person present when he saw Don.
Carver noted that Don was apt to say almost anything about his "private-
meeting" with Sullivan; if a third party were present, Don might be some-
what more inhibited.
Sullivan then turned to the remaining items on the SRG agenda relating to
the Vietnam assessment. After some discussion, the group concluded
that the SRG had yet to conclude its work on the improvement and
modernization of the RVNAF, and to consider papers on the economy,
the Phoenix program, and cross-border operations.
Mr. Constant announced that Congressman Leggett had asked DOD to
reply to a lengthy list of allied atrocities which had been devised and
distributed by the PRG. Mr. Constant complained that the request
entailed a great deal of work, especially by MACV; he implied that there
was some resistance within DOD to the idea of responding at all. Sullivan
strongly recommended that DOD respond to Congressman Leggett and
that the request, be.forwarded to the field. Otherwise, Sullivan noted,
DOD would be liable to charges of callousness for having rejected the list
out of hand,
Mr. Constant asked Sullivan about the memorandum from Secretary
Rogers to the President dealing with herbicide operations. The memo-
randum was supposed to have been coordinated with Secretary Laird
but DOD had not yet seen it. Sullivan replied that the memorandum had
been prepared and that he was unaware of any problem; he said that he
would inquire as.to its status. General Karhohs announced that DOD was
considering the idea of helping provide the GVN with its own herbicide
capability. He expected that some sort-of plan to this effect would
materialize shortly,
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/04/03: LOC-HAK-489-1-15-2