MEETING WITH PRESIDENT THIEU, AUGUST 31: ELECTIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-490-4-36-4
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 2, 2012
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: August 31, 1971
• Content Type: CABLE

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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/02: LOC-HAK-490-4-36-4
11111
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1971
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State Dept. review completed
0 511545Z AUG 71 Vth-CAS CHANNELS
FROM: AMBASSADOR BUNKER, SAIGON 0844 IMMEDIATE
TO: ? THE WHITE HOUSE, EXCLUSIVELY ETES 010.Y FOR HENRY A. KISSINGER
REFS: A) WHS? 1090; B) SAIGON 0S13; C) SAIGON. 0714
SUBJECT: MEETING?WITH PRESIDENT THTEU, AUGUST 31: ELECTIONS..
1. I DISCUSSED WITH THIEU AGAIN TODAY THE PROS AND CONS CF THE
ALTERNATIVES MENTIONED IN MY!O318. ? I EMPHASIZED THE URGENT NEED OF
HIS TAKING SOME CONSTRUCTTVE ACTION BEFORE commEss RECONVENES ON
SEPTEMBER 7, FOR WE WOULD FIND OURSELVES II AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
rosITIoll IF WE FACED THE PROSPECT OF AN UNCONTESTED ELECTION. THE
PRESENT QUIET IS NOT AN INDICATION OF SUPPORT OR WHAT THE SITUATION ?
WILL BE LIKE_WHEN CONGRESS RECONVENES. ? ? '
2. THIEU? SAID THAT HE HAD TODAY AGAIN REVIEWED WITH HIS AOMERS -
THE ALTERNATIVES WE HAD DISCUSSED YESTERDAY.
5. WITH REGARD TO ALTERNATIVE A(REF B) THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR' ?
HAD REPORTED THAT, ASSUMING THREE TO FIVE CANDIDATES, THE AKENDED-
LAW WOULD- ?HAVE ? TO BE PROMULGATED BY SEPTEMBER 5 WITH FTNAL?DATE FOR
BEGINNING PREPARATIONS' SEPTEMBER 11, . SINCE IT WAS CLEARLY ItIPRAOTIC- ?
AL TO GET ACTION BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY .WITHIN THIS TIME FRAME?....:.
THIS ALTERNATIVE HAD TO BE. DISCARDED. . ?
4, POSTPONING TEE ELECTIONS (OPTION 2) ALSO PRESENT DIFFICULTIES
WHICH SEEM .70 MAKE IT IMPRACTICAL.. DEFERMENT OF THE ELECTION WILL
REQUIRE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. THE PRESENT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WILL EXPIRE OCTOBER 1 AND THIEU BELIEVES THAT IN VIEW. OF THE no.
CEDURE'NECESSARY TO ENACT A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, IT WILL BE...
DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO PASS THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION
WITHIN A MONTH, SINCE MANY OF TH INCUMBENTS HAVE BEEN DEFEATED,
IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO CONVENE THE MEMBERSHIP NEEDED TO SECURE
.A TWO-THIRDS VOTE. THE NEW ASSEMBLY WILL MEET OCTOBER 4 AND WILL
REQUIRE APPROXIMATELY A MONTH FOR VALIDATION OF ITS MEMBERSHIP,
ELECTION OF OFFICERS, AND ORGANIZATION, AND ?THERE IS NO TELLING Al
THIS STAGE WHAT THE TEMPER OF THE NEW MEMBERSHIP WILL BE.
5. THIEU AND HIS ADVISERS, THEREFORE, HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION
THAT THE ONLY PRACTICAL SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM IS TO CONVERT THE ?
OCTOBER 3 ELECT/ON TO A REFERENDUM (OPTION C) A.NO HE PLANS TO GO
AHEAD ON THIS. BASIS. THE SUPREME COURT HAD GIVEN ITS OPINION THAT
SINCE KY HAD STATED THAT HE WOULD NOT TAKE PART IN THE ELECTION, THE
PRACTICAL RESULT WAS THAT THERE WOULD BE ONLY ONE TICKET, ,,n) THAT
THE MINISTRY OF INTERIORCOULD CARRY. OUT THE ARRANGEMENTS 'O ? THE
ELECTION. THIEU?HAS BEGUN WORK ON A STATEMENT HE WOULD P; 0 MAKE,
POSSIBLY TOMORROW NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 1. THIS WOULD RECOUNT . EVENTS ,
WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE; THE JURIDICAL SITUATION; AND A STA !JINT
MODIFYING THE CARACTER OF THE OCTOBER ELECTION TO A SIMPLE
MANDATE BY 'WHICH THE ELECTORATE CAN REGISTER A VOTE OF CONEIDENCE?
OR NO CONFIDENCE IN HIS ADMINISTRATION. THE PAR; OF THE STATEMENT', -
REFERRING TO A REFERENDUM WOULD BE ALONG. THE LINES MENTIONED IN ,
MY 0714. I SUBMITTED A DRAFT TO HIM SUGGESTING LINE HE MIGHT TAKE.
TEXT ION-FILE NSC RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
No. Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/02 : LOC-HAK-490-4-36-4
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/02: LOC-HAK-490-4-36-4
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BEGIN TEXT: I HAD HOPED ABOVE VILLE TO ? HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR .A FREE ELECTION VIGOROUSLY COOTESTED BY RES?PONSIBLE OPPOSITION
LEADERS, THIS IS WHAT. THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES FOR. THE PEOPLE
WOULD THEN HAVE .HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE BETWF.Eti THE POLICIES
I HAVE PURSUED DURING THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND THOSE PROPOSED BY MY
OPPONTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE 'OPPOSITION CANDIDATES HAVE CHOSEN TO
WITHDRAW FROM THE ELECTORAL CONTEST FOR REASONS I DO NOT CONSIDER
VALID. MUCH HAS BEEN SAID BY BOTH CANDIDATES., TO. EXPLAIN THEIR
DECISIONS IN THE MOST FAVORABLE LIGHT. TI-E'NEEE. 8TATEITENTS HAVE IN-
CLUDED 'CHARGES AGAINST E, AGAINST TIE SUPI3E1E COI,EIT., AND OTHER
INSTITUTIONS OF. GOGERNMENT, WHILE I REJECT THESE CHNENGES I SEE
NOTHING TO BE -GAINED IN CONTINUING ARGUMENT. MY PRIIiARY INTEREST IS
IN MA I NT A I NI na:? T HE CO N ST IT UTI 0 NAL SYSTEM AND T HE COMMIT ME NT TO THE
PRINCIPLES OF :...FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. '
IN VIEW OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND SINCE I STILL BELIEVE THAT
A CLEAR EXPRESSION OF THE POPULAR WILL IS ESSENTIAL FOR VIETNNAM'S
FUTURE, I HAVE DECIDED TO MODIFY THE CARACTER. OF THE OCTOBER ELECTION
TO A SIMPLE MANDATE BY ?WHICH THE ELECTORATE CAN REGISTER A VOTE OF ????
? CONFIDENCE OR .NO CONFIDENCE IN MY . ADMINISTRATION. ?
IF THE OUTCOME IS AFFIRMATIVE, I WILL CONSIDER THAT THE CONN
FIDENCE. VOTE. CONSTITUTES A MANDATE . TO CONTINUEHIN OFFICE FOR ANOTHER
TERM. ? ?? ? ? "
IF THE OUTCOME SHOULD PROVE TO BE A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE,
I WILL RESIGN ,AND CALL FOR A NEW ELECTION WITHIN 90 DAYS. ?
? I OFFER BOTH GENERAL MINH AND VICE PRESIDENT KY THE FULL
OPPORTUNITY TO CAMPAIGN ON THE "CONFIDENCE. OR NO CONFIDENCE.' ISSUE. ? ?
ASSURE THEM THAT THEY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CAMPAIGN ACTIVELY
IN AN OPPOSITION ROLE AND WILL GUARANTEE THEM THE FACILITIES THEY ?
NEED TO CARRY ON THEIR CAMPAIGN IN ORDER TO ASSURE FAIRNESS AND
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH SIDES.
NY AMBITION IS NOT TO DEE PRESIDENT, BUT TO RESTORE PEACE TO
MY COUNTRY AND MY PEOPLE. I PLEDGE TO WORK SINCERELY AND VIGOROUSLY
TOWARD .THAT END IF I AM RETURNED TO OFFICE. IF I SUCCEED IN
ACHIEVING A SETTLEMENT of THE WAR, I WILL RESIGN SO THAT NEW
.ELECTIONS CAN TAKE ? PLACE. END TEXT. ?
7. THIEU COMMENTED THAT HE SHOULD NOT ? INVITE GENERAL MINH AND
VICE PRESIDE.NT, KY TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST HIM. THEY WOULD CONSIDER
IT TRICKERY AND AN ATTEMPT TO USE THEM TO JUSTIFY HIS VICTORY. HE
WOULD, HONEVER, ?MAKE IT CLEWR THAT THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
OPPOSE HIM. HE ALSO SUGGESTED CHANGING THE FINAL SENTENCE OF THE
LAST PARAGRAPH TO READ, IF I SUCCEED IN ACHIEVING A SETTLEMENT OF.
, THE WAR, I WILL HAVE ACHIEVED MY MISSION. I WILL THF,J1 ASE YOU TO
PERMIT ME TO. RETIRE SO THAT. YOU CAN CHOOSE ANOTHER PRESIDENT
THROUGH NEW ELECTIONS." ? .
8.. TIIIEU AGREED TO. SIMI ME A .DRAFT OF HIS, STATEMENT ...TOMORROW -
AFTERNOON. ? - ? ?
9.. IT IS CLEAR THIEU HAS GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO THE PROBLEM HE FACES
AND IS NOti PREPARED TO GO AHEAD WITH THE REFERENDUM AS THE MOST
PRACTICAL WAY OUT OF THE DIFFICULT SITUATION IN WHICH HE FINDS HIM-
SELF. ? ?
? 10. I AM SEWING ABBRMATED MESSAGE
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11.. WARM REGARDS.
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/02 : LOC-HAK-490-4-36-4