Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–13, Documents on China, 1969–1972

173. Message From the Government of the United States to the Representatives of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, December 29, 1972¹ ²

December 29, 1972

MEMORANDUM

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

December 29, 1972

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

On Saturday, December 23, 1972, I was directed by the Kissinger office to carry an envelope to Mrs. Shih of the PRC Mission in New York City. I met with Mrs. Shih at 10:00 a.m. and gave her the envelope. She looked at the contents but did not read them. Tea and light conversation followed for approximately 15 minutes, at which time I left and returned to Washington.

On December 28, 1972, I was again directed to carry a memorandum to Mrs. Shih at the PRC Mission in New York City. I met with her at 11:00 p.m. She read the contents and stated that there were no questions. After a brief interlude of tea and light conversation, I took my leave and went to the Sheraton Inn at LaGuardia, where I remained overnight. On the morning of December 29 I returned to Washington.

David Y. McManis

Director

Situation Room

Attached for the information of the Chinese side is a message which will be delivered by the U.S. side to the DRV representatives in Paris at 9:30 a.m. Paris time Friday, December 29, 1972.

U.S. MESSAGE TO DRV

December 29, 1972

The U.S. side has read the message of the DRV side of December 28, 1972. The U.S. accepts the following propositions:

1. Experts of the two sides will resume meetings on January 2, 1973.

2. A private meeting of Special Adviser Le Duc Tho and Minister Xuan Thuy with Dr. Kissinger will take place on January 8, 1973 in Paris.

U.S. liaison officers will be in touch with their North Vietnamese counterparts regarding specific arrangements for the meetings of experts as well as arrangements for alternating the meeting sites for the private meetings.

As indicated in its messages of December 22 and 27, 1972, the U.S. side will as a unilateral gesture cease the bombing of North Vietnam north of the 20th parallel by 7:00 p.m. Washington time on December 29, 1972.

The U.S. side wants to again affirm that it will make one final major effort to see whether a settlement within the October framework can be worked out. The U.S. side wants to point out that Dr. Kissinger will not be able to spend more than four days in Paris on this occasion. A repetition of the procedures followed in December could lead to a collapse of the talks.

The U.S. side enters these renewed negotiations with good will but urges the DRV side to study carefully the U.S. message of December 18, 1972. The decision must be made now whether it is possible to move from a period of hostility to one of normalization. This remains the U.S. goal which will be pursued with great seriousness.

In the interim it is essential that both sides show the maximum restraint in their public pronouncements.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 850, President’s File-China Trip, China Exchanges, Oct 24, 1972-Dec 31, 1972. No classification markings.
2. The message indicated that the United States accepted proposals for the resumption of talks on January 2, 1973, and for a meeting attended by North Vietnamese Special Adviser Le Duc Tho and Minister Xuan Thuy with President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs Kissinger on January 8, 1973, in Paris. Additionally, the message reiterated the U.S. gesture to cease the bombing of North Vietnam north of the 20th parallel by 7 p.m., Washington time, on December 29, 1972.