CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM ELLSWORTH BUNKER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-490-9-26-0
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: May 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: November 27, 1972
• Content Type: CABLE

491
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T n P. S F C R E T SENSITIVE 27032OZ NOV 72__VIA CAS CHANNELS (BUNKER)
TO: THE WHITE HOUSE, EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY FOR HENRY A. KISSINGER
REFS: A) VHS 2257; B) WHS 2258
1. I DELIVERED TEXT OF THE PRESIDENT'S TWO MESSAGES (REF A) TO THIEU
AT r^ 1:1 THIS MORNING. I SAID THAT I HAD BEEN ASKED TO DELIVER THESE
MESSAGES WHICH HAD BEEN GIVEN TO HIS NEGOTIATIORS IN PARIS TO HIM
IN ORDER TO BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT THEY HAD BEEN ACCURATELY RE-
CEIVEr) BY HIM. I SAID THAT THESE WOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION
oFT..''E?; THE PRESIDENT AND MR,. DUC. AS PER YOUR INSTRUCTIONS, I DID
NOT 'DISCUSS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE MESSAGES WITH THIEU, BUT I MADE IT
CLEAR TO HIM. THAT WE HAVE COME TO THE TIME WHEN A FINAL DECISION
MIST BE MADE ON THE SUBSTANCE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS; THAT THE PRESIDENT
1,O1 ULD GIVE YOU FINAL INSTRUCTIONS ON DECEMBER 1 AND THAT YOU WILL
LEAVE FOR PARTS DECEMBER I MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO THIEU THAT AS
THE PRESIDENT HAS STATED IF WE DO NOT TOGETHER COME TO AN AGREEMENT
WE WILL PROCEED UNILATERALLY. , .
2. I ALSO URGED THIEU TO SEND .tHA TO WASHINGTON WITH PHUONG AND
DUC SO THAT BOTH WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS HIS VIEWS TO
THE PRESIDENT AND BOTH HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE PRESIDENT'S VIEWS.
WE THc T3HT. THIS WOULD ALSO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF SIMPLIFYING COM-
MTJNICATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS FOLLOWING THE MEETING
WITH PRESIDENT NIXON, - THIEU REPLIED THAT HE WAS VERY MUCH IN
NEED OF NHA HERE, BUT WOULD THINK OVER OUR SUGGESTION AND LET ME
KNOW HIS DECISION.
3. WITH REFERENCE TO PARAGRAPH 3, REF B AS SEEN FROM HERE, I
THINK THIS IS A WISE DECISION ON THE PRESIDENT'S PART. .AS I MENTIONED
IF SAIGON 280, ALTHOUGH THERE TS CONCERN AMONG MANY VIETNAMESE
OVER THE QUESTION OF THE NVA REMAINING IN THE SOUTH, THE NATIONALISTS
HAVE A GREAT PREPONDERANCE OF NUMBERS AND RESOURCES ON THEIR
SIDE AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO-HANDLE THE FORTHCOMING POLITICAL CONTEST
SUCCESSFULLY. BUT ASIDE FROM HIS EXPRESSED CONCERNS' THIEU IS
CLEARLY FLAYING FOR TIME AND THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE. HIM AND THE GVN FACE
THE ISSUE IS TO DO WHAT THE PRESIDENT PROPOSES, I.E., ESTABLISH A
DEADLI!:E AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE INTEND TO STICK TO IT.
4. ASST!NING THAT THIEU, AS I BELIEVE HE WILL, DECIDES THAT HE MUST
ACCEDE TO THE AGREEMENT BECAUSE THERE IS NO OTHER VIABLE ALTERNATIVE,
HE NPY THEN, TN ORDER TO PROTECT HIS POSITION HERE AGAINST ACCUSATIONS
OOF CAPITULATION TO OUR PRESSURES, TRY.TO MAKE HIS ACCEPTANCE LESS
THAN WUOLEH'EARTED. IT SEEMS TO ME THIS COULD JEOPARDIZE FUTURE
CONRESSTONAL SUPPORT AND THAT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS IT WILL BE
NECESSARY FOR DUC AND NHA TO MAKE CLEAR TO THIEU THAT ANY AT-TEMPT-__
TO SQUIR`M' OUT OF SIGNING THE AGREEMENT BY INVENTING SOME NEW
PROCEDURAL GIMMICK WILL HAVE VERY UNFORTUNATE RESULTS.
5. IT SEEMS TO ME WE HAVE REACHED THAT POINT WHERE WE HAVE GIVEN
THE VIETNAMESE THE RESOURCES TO DO THE JOB, THAT THE DRAFT AGREE-
MENT YOU HAVE WORKED OUT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY, AND THAT WE
PAVE DISCHARGED FULLY OUR RESPONSIBILITIES. IT IS UP TO THEM NOW
To MAYT IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO SUPPORT THEM.
0033
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N-FILE NSC RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS
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MORI/CDF per
17578
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/05/20: LOC-HAK-490-9-26-0