NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
SECRET
| Control: | 1756 |
| Rec'd: | May 5, 1954 |
| 1:09 p.m. |
| FROM: | Geneva |
| TO: | Secretary of State |
| NO: | SECTO 106, May 5, 2 p.m. |
NIACT
SENT DEPARTMENT SECTO 106, REPREATED INFORMATION PRIORITY
PARIS 201, PRIORITY LONDON 121, SAIGON 33.
Re SECTO 89, repreated Paris 186.
Following is outline given this morning by Chauvel to Dennis, Allen and Achilles of proposal which Bidault last night sent to French Cabinet for authorization to make when substantive discussion of Indochina starts:
1. Vietnam problem is purely Vietnamese with no question of partition, only military struggle for control of government.
2. Situation different in Laos and Cambodia which are victims of external aggression.
3. Under Berlin agreement, purpose of Geneva conference is to establish peace in all three countries. To this end there should be a cease-fire guaranteed by adequate military and administrative controls under supervision. Cease-fire would take effect only when such guarantees had been embodied in armistic conventions, which might be different for each three states, and when control machinery had been established and was in place. Controls would be based upon Laniel's March 5 conditions. When cease-fire occurred, regular troops would be regrouped into delimited areas and all other forces disarmed. The control machinery would be "international" and would require considerable body of personnel.
4. After peace had been re-established by the cease-fire, political and economic problems could be examined.
In discussing this draft proposal Chauvel said French assumed Russians would propose immediate cease-fire followed by political settlement based on coalition and immediate elections, which would force West into position of opposing
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