CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM ELLSWORTH BUNKER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-490-8-31-5
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: January 3, 2013
• Sequence Number: 31
• Publication Date: October 25, 1972
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection LO Declassification in Full 2013/01/03. LC-HAK-490-8-31-5
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1972 25 t:";~,,1 6 48
T 0 P S E C R E T SENSITIVEo955Z T 72 VIA CAS CHANNELS(BUNKER)
FROM: AMBASSADOR BUNKER SAIGON 023 MMEDIATE
TO:. THE WHITE HOUSE, EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY FOR .HENRY A. KISSINGER
REF: WHS 2295 .
DELIVER OPENING OF BUSINESS
1. ON BALANCE, IT SEEMS TO ME THERE ARE MORE FACTORS IN FAVOR
OF NOT REPEAT NOT GOING TO HANOI THAN FOR GOING THERE UNLESS YOU
WERE TO 00 WITH THIEU'S PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND ACQUIESCENCE. ON
THE NEGATIVE SIDE, I SEE .THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS,INVOLVED:
-- THERE IS A FEELING SHARED BY THIEU AND OTHERS IN THE
GVN THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TO A DEGREE SHUNTED ASIDE IN
THE NEGOTIATIONS AND HAVE BEEN RELEGATED TO A LESS IMPORTANT
STATUS THAN THE DRV. YOUR GOING TO HANOI WILL AUGMENT
THIS FEELING. . I -
-- IT CAN LEAD TO A SUSPICION, IF NOT ON THE PART OF THIEU
AT LEAST FAIRLY WIDELY IN THE GVN AND AMONG THE PUBLIC,
THAT IT,IS EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE DETERMINED TO MAKE A DEAL
? WITH THE OTHER SIDE EVEN AT THE GVN'S EXPENSE.
-- THAT. IT GIVES THE DRV ADDED STATURE AT A TIME WHEN
THEY ARE STEADILY LOSING GROUND ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
-- THAT IF THE ~DRV . IS REALLY WILLING TO MAKE SOME CON-
CESSIONS IN THE INTEREST. OF GETTING A.. SETTLEMENT, IT WILL
BE AS READY TO DO SO IN PARIS AS IN HANOI.
-- IT MIGHT LOOK.TO SOME PARTICULARLY SUSPICIOUS VIET-
NAMESE A LITTLE LIKE. THE MCGOVERN PLOY OF GOING TO BEG
FOR THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS. .
2. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE ARE:
-- THE PROBABILITY THAT OUR. GAINING THE-ESSENTIAL TWO
OR THREE WEEKS WOULD BE ENHANCED BY.GOI.NG TO HANOI..
-- THE POSSIBILITY THAT BY GOING THERE YOU MIGHT GET A
MORE FAVORABLE DECISION MORE RAPIDLY THAN BY FORCING
LE DUC THO TO GO TO PARTS.
3. YOU WILL KNOW BETTER THAN I HOW MUCH WEIGHT TO GIVE TO THE
SOVIET VIEW. ON BALANCE, IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN GAIN THE NECESSARY
TIME I WOULD GREATLY FAVOR THE PARIS ROUTE. IT WILL RUN LESS RISK OF
CAUSING APPREHENSION, DOUBT AND SUSPICION HERE.
4. WARM REGARDS.
t., ~ yr., s ONLY
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/01/03: LOC-HAK-490-8-31-5