Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part III.djvu/78

Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011

TOP SECRET – Sensitive

Geneva Conference Declarations of GVN
(Continued)

Note	Date	On Partition	On Elections
10	19 Jul 54	"French, Soviet and Viet Minh drafts all admit the principles of a partition of Vietnam in two zones, all of North Vietnam being abandoned to the Viet Minh. Although this partition is only provisional in theory, it would not (repeat not) fail to produce in Vietnam the same effects as in Germany, Austria, and Korea. It would not bring the peace which is sought for, deeply wounding the national sentiment of the Vietnamese people, it would provoke trouble throughout the country, trouble which would not fail to threaten a peace so dearly acquired."	"The Vietnamese Delegation therefore proposes: A cease fire on present positions. Regroupment of troops in two zones which would be as small as possible. Disarmament of irregular troops. After a period to be fixed, disarmament of Viet Minh troops and simultaneous withdrawal of foreign troops. Control by the United Nations Of the cease fire. Of the regroupment Of the disarmament and the withdrawal. Of the administration of the entire country. Of the general elections, when the United Nations believe that order and security will have been everywhere truly restored. This proposal made on the formal instructions of His Majesty Bao Dai, and of President Ngo Dinh Diem, shows that the Chief of State of Vietnam once more places the independence and the unity of his country above any other considerations, and that the national government of Vietnam would prefer this provisional UN control over a truly independent and United Vietnam to its maintenance in power in a country dismembered and condemned to slavery."