Confidential;
Limdis. Repeated to Ottawa, Moscow, Djakarta, Vientiane, Bangkok,
Paris, London, and CINCPAC for POLAD. Printed also in part in
Herring (ed.), The Secret Diplomacy of the Vietnam War, p. 44
4083. Canadian
ICC Commissioner Blair Seaborn told EmbOff this morning results
of his latest week-long visit to Hanoi, from which he had returned
yesterday.
Seaborn said
that he is persuaded from his conversations with diplomats and
DRV officials that DRV is not now interested in any negotiations.
He said that he was able to see new Foreign Minister Trinh but
that discussion had revealed nothing new. Trinh followed standard
line that US offer of unconditional discussions was "deceitful"
since US continued build-up in South Vietnam and bombing of North.
Seaborn pressed Trinh to elaborate on "four points,"
asking whether points intended to be seen as preconditions to
talks or as result of talks or as ultimate goals. Trinh remained
deliberately vague and gave no clear answers. Seaborn pressed
specifically on point about withdrawal of US troops, but also
only received vague and indefinite
reply.
Seaborn said
his discussion with PAVN liaison chief also turned into usual
restatement of well-known positions.
[1 paragraph
(6-1/2 lines of source text) not declassified]
Seaborn said
that his impression from all his meetings and discussions was
that there had been no change in DRV position, or that it least
they did not seem about to let such change be known. (2)
Footnotes:
(1)
Source: Department of State, EA Files: Lot 69 D 412, Vietnam Negotiations,
Seaborn. Saigon, June 6, 1965, 11:47 a.m.
(2)
In telegram 4084 from Saigon, June 6, Taylor added that when Seaborn
discussed his trip with Johnson, they had agreed that, in the
absence of an initiative on the part of North Vietnam, further
efforts through the Seaborn channel would not be useful and could
be counterproductive. (Department of State, Central Files, POL
27-14 VIET) On June 8 the Canadian Embassy passed to the Department
a copy of Seaborn's June 4 telegram reporting on his trip to Hanoi.
(Ibid., POL 27 VIET S)