Kissinger Henry. White House Years

Подождите немного. Документ загружается.

isnoreasonforhatredandenmityamongfriendsandIproposethatweforgetwhathasbeen

said.



AftermakingitcleartoSaigonthatwewouldproceedwiththeagreement,

wehadtoconvinceHanoiofthesamethingwithouttemptingittoexploitthe

riftsbetweenSaigonandWashington.JustbeforeleavingSaigonIsentamessage

inthePresident’snametoColonelGuayinParisfortransmissiontoHanoi’s

representatives.The timeselectedwas3:00p.m.Paristime,whichwas10:00

p.m.inSaigon,orwhenIwaswellonthewaybacktoWashing ton.Allowingtime

fortransmission,ImightwithluckreachWashingtonbeforeHanoicouldrespond.

Themessagereadinitskeypassages:



ThePresidentoftheUnitedStateswishestoinformthePrimeMinisterofthe

DemocraticRepublicofVietnamofthefollowingurgentmatters.



TheUnitedStateshasproceededingoodfaithtoimplementthegeneralprinciplesand

substancediscussedwiththeDRVinParis.TheDRVmustcertainlyhavebeeninformedofthe

strenuouseffortsmadebyDr.KissingerandhisassociatesinLaos,Cambodia,Thailandand

aboveallinSaigon.



AtthesametimetheDRVsideisawareofthefactthattheconstantU.S.positionhas

beenthatitwillnotimposeaunilateralsolutiononitsalliesandthatitwillmoveaheadonlyon

thebasisofconsultation…



ThePresidentreiterateshisfirmbeliefthatanagreementisobtainableintheverynear

future.ItisessentialthattheDRVandUSsidesmutuallyexploreexistingdifficultiesinthesame

spiritofgoodwillwhichhascharacterizeddiscussionsthusfar.



TothisendthePresidentproposesthatspecialadvisorLeDucThoandDr.Kissinger

meetagainattheearliestopportunityinParis,toreconciletheremainingissues.Dr.Kissinger

willcometoParisonanydatesetbytheDRV.Inthepresentcircumstancesitisimpossiblefor

Dr.KissingertogotoHanoiuntiltheseadditionaldiscussionshavebeencompleted.



Inordertodemonstrateitsgoodfaith,theU.S.sidewillmaintainthecurrentrestrictions

onthebombinguntilthenegotiationsareconcluded.



TheU.S.sidemustwarnthatanyattempttoexploitthepresent,temporarydifficulties

publiclycanonlyleadtoprolongationofthenegotiations.



Itisinevitablethatinthewarthathaslastedsolongandhasgeneratedsuchdeep

passionsthereshouldbesometemporaryobstaclesonthewaytoafinalresolution.



TheU.S.remainsdeterminedtopursueeveryavenueforpeaceandurgestheleadership

oftheDemocraticRepublicofVietnamtojoinwithitinthesamespiritofgoodwilland

cooperativeeffortwhichhasbroughtthenegotiationssoclosetoasolution.Ifthissame

attitudeismaintained,thecurrentproblemswillsurelybesurmountedandthereshouldbean

earlysettlementonthebasisofagreementsthathavealreadybeenachieved.



<<Contents>>



****



TheJourneyHome



Thadbeenadramaticandexhaustingweek.Wehadstartedonthemorningof

October16withthevisionofreturningwithapeacecompatiblewithourvalues

andanendtoournationalanguish.Wehadnotachievedit.Wehad,itistrue,

madesomeprogress.Hanoi’soriginaldraftofOctober8,whichwasinitselfsuch

abreakthrough,wasgreatlyimprovedintheinterve ningtwoweeks,andwecould

takeprideinadraftpeacetreatyexceedingthetermsweourselveshadput

forwardfortwoyears.Andthoughourreturnjourneywascloudedby

disappointment,itwasalsomarkedbydetermination.Having comethisclose,

bothsideshadtoobiganinvestmentintheprocesstoturnbacknow.Inthedays

following,wewouldstrivetoputthepiecesbacktogether.Weowedittoallthe

hopesthathadbeeninvestedinoureffortsnottoloseheartnow.



Ihaveoftenthoughtaboutthisstormyperiod,wonderingwhethermore

compassionatetreatmentofThieumighthaveledtoadifferentresult.Ideally,

perhaps,weshouldhavegivenhimmoretimetoprepareforwhatwascoming.

Butspeedalsogreatlyimprovedtheterms,and,personalrespectforhimaside,I

donotbelievethatamoredeliberatescheduleandearlierconsultationwould

havealteredhisconduct.Thatwasthestuffoftragedy,notatriflingerrorin

humancalculation.Atthatpointbothsides,oncoursestheyhadtotake,were

doomedtocollision.ThelogicofThieu’spositionrequiredapostureofdefiant

intransigencetoprovethatWashingtonandHanoicouldnotdecidehisfate‐just

asHanoi’sprocedurewithus,forcingthepace,waspartlydesignedto

demonstratethathewasourpuppet.Whateverwedid,Thieuwouldhave

maneuveredtogaintimeandfoundawaytoconfront us,asindeedhehad

confrontedHaigandmeonpreviousvisits.



Ourdisappointmentarosefromamisapprehension:Wefailedearlyenough

tograspthatThieu’srealobjectionwasnottothetermsbutthefactofany

compromise.ConflictbetweenusandThieuwasbuiltintotheterminationofthe

waronanytermslessthanHanoi’stotalsurrender.Bydefinitionsovereignty

cannotbedivided.AnyoutcomethatleftThieuinlessthantotalcontrolofhis

entireterritorywasthereforeforhimasetback.Hemightnotbeabletochange

thebalanceofpowerontheground,butthiswasafarcryfromacceptingitasa

legalobligation.Hehadgonealongwithvariouscompromiseofferssuggesting

thecontrary,notoutofconviction,butas thepriceforcontinuedAmerican

support.WehadsustainedourbackingforSaigoninAmericabyaseriesof

proposals—allofwhichhehadaccepted—designedtoproveourwillingness to

walktheextramile.Butthecumulativeimpactoftheseproposals—cease‐firein

place,newelections,Americanwithdrawal—allamountedtogivingSaigonalegal

statusdifferentfromHanoi’s.Thisiswhatrankleddeeply.Andfromhispointof

viewThieuwasright.HefoughtbyVietnamesemethods.Tenacity,defiance,and

indirectionwerehisweapons.Itwasnothisfaultthatin1961wehadlaunched

ourselvesonanenterprisebyastrategythatourpeopleweretofindtheycould

notsustain;in1963hehadbeenoneoftheofficerswhomwehadencouragedto

overthrowNgoDinhDiem.Probablyhehadoverestimatedoursubtletyandour

power;hehadassumedweunderstoodhisreservations.Weinturnexaggerated

hisliteralness;wehadtakenforgrantedthathemeantwhathetoldus.Bythe

endof1972,however,thesecontradictionswerebeyondimmediatesolution.A

differentproceduremighthavesimplymultipliedhispossibilitiesof

procrastination.Itwouldnothaveavoidedtheimpasse.Indeed,itmightwellhave

broughtitaboutearlierandmadeitthemoreinextricable.Thieusoughttotal

victory;we,anhonorablecompromise.ByOctober1972thesetwopositions

couldnotbereconciled.



OnthetriphomeIknewthattherewouldbestrongtemptationsin

Washingtontojettisonthedraftpeacetreatyandtogoforbrokeafterthe

election.Iwasdeterminedtopreservethedraftagainstallthepassionsthat

wouldsoondescendonus—againstthepressureofHanoitosigntheexisting

text;againstthedemandofSaigontoabandontheagreement;andagainst

proclivitiesinWashingtontoreversecourse,theresultofwhichwouldbetolose

controloverevents.IhadhadaninklingofthoseinclinationsinacablefromHaig

onOctober21whenthefirsthintsofThieu’slaterstubbornnessappeared.Haig

suggestedthatincaseofablowupweshoulddenouncetheNationalCouncilof

NationalReconciliationandConcordasacoalitiongovernme ntandchallengethe

agreementasaneffortbyHanoitoimproveitssecuritywhilegivingnothingbut

fuzzyreassurances.Iconsideredthiscourseinconceivable.Wehadbeenoffering

lessfavorabletermsforyears.NixonhadapprovedaworsedraftonOctober12.

Hanoihadjustacceptedourlanguageonallmajorsections.OnOctober22I

repliedthatweshouldnot“poormouthanagreementthatwewillnot beableto

improvesignificantlyandwhichweshoulduseinsteadasatremendoussuccess.”

IsentanothersharpcabletoHaigonOctober23:



AsforyourcharacterizationofthecontentoftheagreementIwouldliketorecallyour

viewthatitwasagoodagreementwhenweconcludedit.Ithassincebeengreatlyimproved

withrespecttoCambodia,Laos,theInternationalConference,Americanprisoners,South

Vietnameseprisonersandthereplacementprovision.AsforaskingThieutogiveupsovereignty

overhisterritoryjustwhathasacease‐firealwaysaddedupto?Weproposedthiswaybackin

October1970andagaininJanuary1972andMay1972.Whatelseweretheseplansgoingto

leadtoexceptpreciselythesituationwenowhave?…



Manywarshavebeenlostbyuntowardtimidity.Butenormoustragedieshavealsobeen

producedbytheinabilityofmilitarypeopletorecognizewhenthetimeforasettlementhad

arrived.



Inmyviewthattimehadcome.IcabledWashingtonfromtheplanethatif

HanoiwentpublicIshouldgiveapressconference,acknowledgetheagreement,

indicatethatitrepresentedmajorprogress,butinsistthatsomedetailsremained

tobeworkedoutfreeofanyartificialdeadline.IwouldputHanoionnoticethat

thebasicagreementwasnotbeingdropped,butthatsomechangeswere

necessary;IwouldputSaigononnoticethatwewouldgiveitmoretimeandseek

somechanges,butthatthebasicstructurewasnotsubjecttomodification.



Thisstrategy,whichthePresidentaccepted,wastopropelmeaftermy

arrivalhomeintomyfirstappearanceatatelevisedpressconference:the

dramaticeventsummedupinthephrase,“peaceisathand.”



<<Contents>>



****

XXXIII



“PeaceIsatHand”



HanoiGoesPublic



twasuncannyreturningtoWashingtonfromSaigononOctober23.My

colleaguesandIwereobsessedwiththedetailofthestalleddraftpeace

treaty;itwasthelastthingNixonwantedtohearabout.Hewasinthefinal

throesofhisreelectioncampaign,thelastcampaignofacompulsivetwenty‐five‐

yearcareer.HisambitionwastowinwiththelargestmajorityinAmericanhistory.

Hethoughtthiscertainsolongasnothingunprovidedforwasallowedtohappen

inthelasttwomonthsofthecampaign.Therefore,hewantednofreshelectoral

issueoutofVietnam.Hewantedthatproblemtogoawayfortwoweekssothat

hecoulddealwithitrightaftertheelection.Hisinstructionstomeweretotryto

keepthingsquiet.This,Iwascertain,neitherourenemiesnoralliesinVietnam

wouldallow.



Electoralconsiderationsaside,Nixonwasofcourseeagertoendthewarin

Vietnam.Butwithhiseyeforessentialsheunders toodthatapreelectionpeace,if

Thieurebelled,mightseemopportunisticandturnsour.Thehawkswouldthen

loseheartinupholdingthesettlement,andthedoveswouldhaveapretextfor

notsupportingit.ThetroublewasthatwhileNixon’sanalysiswascorrect,itwas

Hanoi—notweorThieu—thatcontrolledthetimingofaconfrontation.



Ididmybest,ifwithincreasinglyfrayednerves.ByOctober23my

colleaguesandIhadbeeninmotionforovertwoweeks—Paris,Washington,Paris

again,Saigon,PhnomPenh,andbacktoWashington,rarelygettingmorethan

fourhoursofsleepandridinganemotionalrollercoasterfromhopeto

frustration,fromelationtodespair.Norcouldweletupnow.Thedangerwasthat

thedraftagreement,solaboriouslyputtogether,couldbewreckedbythetwo

monomaniacalVietnameseparties;theUnitedStatescouldbepulledoffcourse

byelectoralobsessionandpartypassioninWashington.Wecouldnotknowhow

longMoscowandPekingwouldstayquietifwereturnedtothetreadmillofan

inconclusivewarinwhichtheirallywasbeingbombedandblockadedafterhaving

acceptedthetermsweourselveshadputforward.



Isoughttoholdthingstogether.IhadtoldHanoionOctober23thatIwas

returningtoWashingtonbutstoodreadytomeetLeDucThotocompletethe

negotiations.OnOctober24IurgedBunkerinSaigontostayinclosetouchwith

ThieuandForeignMinisterLam.Heshouldleavenodoubtthatweintendedto

pushtoaconclusion.Wecouldtolerateacertainamountof“domesticposturing”

byThieu,buthehadtorememberthathisbasicsupportwasourconfidencein

him:“…Nomatterwhattheconcessionshegetsinwhatisnowessentiallyavery

workableformula[they]willinnowaybeasubstitutefortheultimatecollapseof

Americansupport…”Thesameday,Moscowsentasomewhatplaintive note

suggestingthatifIwentto Hanoiwewouldstillbeableto“completethewhole

matter.”ThatwasclearlyimpossiblewhileSaigonwasinitspresentframeof

mind;butatleastitindicatedthattheNorthVietnamesecontinuedeagerto

proceed.ItoldDobryninthatwewerepreparedtocompletetheagreement,an

offerthatwouldstandevenaftertheelection.IalsobriefedChina’sHuangHuain

NewYork,remindinghimofthefinalnegotiationoftheShanghaiCommuniqué

duringthenightsessioninHangchow.Chouhadpermittedustoreopenthe

communiquéthenandtherebyguaranteeditswidespreadacceptanceinthe

UnitedStates.IfChinauseditsinfluencewithHanoitoresumenegotiationswith

thesamewisdom,theresultwouldbesatisfactory.OnOctober25Peking

weighedinwithamessage—obviouslydraftedbeforeitcouldhavereceived

HuangHua’sreportofmyconversation‐urgingustoseizethis“extremely

opportunetimetoendtheVietnamwar.”TheChineseexplicitlyblamedSaigon

forthedifficulties,affirmedtheirconfidenceinourgoodfaith—anextraordinary

gesture—butaskedrhetorically:“…howcantheworldbeforbiddentohaveits

doubts?”



Meanwhile,HanoihadrejectedmymessageofOctober23,accusingusof

beingnot“reallyserious.”Itaddedominously:



IftheU.S.sidecontinuestouseonepretextafteranothertoprolongthenegotiations,

delaythesigningoftheagreement,thewarinVietnamwillcertainlycontinue,andtheU.S.side

mustbearfullresponsibilityforalltheconsequencesbroughtaboutbytheUnitedStates.



IftheU.S.sideisreallyseriousandhasgoodwill,itmuststrictlycarryoutits

commitmentsregardingtheagreementandthetimescheduleagreeduponbythetwoparties.

ThisstatementoftheDRVNsideisaveryseriousone.TheU.S.sideshouldpayfullattentionto

theviewsoftheDRVNsideexpoundedinthismessage.



Thoughfirm,themessagefellshortofthefire‐breathingarroganceof

previouscommunicationsfromHanoi.Itstayedwellclearofthreateningto

abrogatetheagreement.HanoihadrequestedareplyduringthedayofOctober

24Hanoitime—impossible,sincebythetimewereceivedtheirmessageitwas

alreadyOctober25inNorthVietnam.Weneverthelessreturnedanimmediate

andverycalmreplyonOctober25.Theconstantrepetitionofunfoundedcharges,

wesaid,couldonlymakethingsworse.Weproposedanothermeetingduringthe

weekofOctober30;Iwouldattend“withinstructionstobringaboutafinal

settlement.”Assoonasagreementwasreached,evenwithoutSaigon,wewould

stopthebombingofNorthVietnam:



ThecourseadoptedduringtheprivatemeetingsinOctoberrepresentssettledU.S.

policy.TheU.S.isdeterminedtoendthewarinthenearestfuture,anditwillworkwiththe

greatestenergytoremovetheobstaclesthathaveariseninanyeventbeforetheendof

November.



AcopyofthenotewassenttotheChineseviacourierthesameday.Ikept

Dobrynininformed.Inanycase,ourmessageaffectednodecisionsinHanoi.For

duringthenightofOctober25,beforethemessagecouldhavereachedthere,

Hanoiwentpublic.



Iwasawakenedaround5:30a.m.onThursday,October26,tolearnthat

RadioHanoihadbeenbroadcastingitsversionofeventsforhours,firstin

Vietnamese,theninFrench,finallyinEnglish.RadioHanoirevealedthe

negotiatingrecordoftheprecedingmonth:OnOctober8inasecretmeeting,

NorthVietnamhadtaken“anew,extremelyimportantinitiative”byofferinga

newdraftpeaceagreement.Thebroadcastaccuratelysummarizedthekeypoints

ofthedraftagreement.“TheDRVsideproposedthattheDemocraticRepublicof

VietnamandtheUnitedStatessignthisagreementbymid‐October1972”—

acknowledgingthatHanoi,notwe,hadpushedforsigningbeforeourelection.It

quotedmeasadmittingthatthenewproposal“wasindeedanimportantand

veryfundamentaldocument.”Itdescribe d theUSmessagesofOctober20and

October22inwhichthePresidenthadcalledthetextoftheagreement

“complete,”andexpressedsatisfactionwithHanoi’sconcessions.Itnextrecited

the“shedyule”andthecontinualslippagetowhichHanoihadagreedatAmerican

behest.ButtheUnitedStateshadfailed,onvarious“pretexts,” tokeepthe

schedule.ThereforeHanoi“stronglydenouncestheNixonAdministration’slackof

goodwillandseriousness,”anddemandedthattheagreementbesignedby

October31.Itendedwitha ratherdefensiveexhortationtoits“fighters

throughoutthecountry”topersevereinthefaceof“allhardshipsandsacrifices.”



Asitwas,HanoibarelybeattheNewYorkTimestothestory.Thatsame

morning,October26,thepaper hadcease‐firestoriesfromthreeplaces—Paris,

Saigon,andWashington—andafive‐columnheadline:“U.S.IsSaidtoAgreewith

HanoionFrameworkofaCease‐fire;ExpectsSaigontoAcceptSoon.”Themost

blatantleakcamefromParis,whereFloraLewishadpickedupfrom“ahigh‐

rankingFrenchsource’’thatLeDucThoandIhadreached“awidemeasureof

understandingonacease‐fireandasubsequentpoliticalsettlement.”(These

FrenchsourcesalmostcertainlyhadbeeninformedbytheNorthVietnamese,as

deBorchgravehadforeshadowed.)StorieshadbeenleakingoutofSaigonfora

weekasThieudenouncedHanoi’sproposalsasunacceptable.Hedeclaredina

speechonOctober24that“acease‐firemaycomeinthenearfuture,”though

thissentencewasburiedinalongstringofpointeddenunciationsofanyplanthat

didnotincludeNorthVietnamesewithdrawalfromSouthVietnamordidinclude

athree‐sidedcoalitiongovernment.FromWashington,MaxFrankelhadastory

citing“Americanofficials”asbelievingtherewouldbeacease‐fire“inthenext

fewweeks,perhapsevenbeforeelectionday,Nov.7,barringasupremeactof

follyinSaigonorHanoi.”IhadlunchedwithFrankelonOctober25,givinghim

onlythisgeneralpicturewithoutgoingintodetails,toreassureHanoiandkeep

thepressureonSaigon.



MypressconferenceofOctober26cametobedenouncedasaNixon

electoralploytoraisehopesforpeaceduringthelaststagesofthePresidential

campaign.Theimpossible“shedyule”thattriggeredthewholeaffairwasHanoi’s,

notours.Aslateasmid‐SeptemberI couldseenowaytoconcludethe

negotiationsrapidly.ItwasHanoi’sOctober8proposalinParis,abandoningits

demandforacoalitiongovernment,thathadunlockedthenegotiations.Itwas

HanoithathadinsistedonasigningbyOctober31asaconditionforasettlement;

IhadgonealongwithitinordertoexploitHanoi’seagerness.NowitwasHanoi,

nottheUnitedStates,thatannouncedthepeaceagreement.Nixonatthispoint

clearlywouldhavepreferredkeepingtheagreementsecretuntilafterthe

electionandbeforeundertakingthefinalroundofnegotiat ions.Onlywhen

accusedbyHanoi,twoweeksbeforeaPresidentialelection,ofhavingrenegedon

apeacesettlementdidtheAdministrationrespond.



OnceHanoihadgonepublicwehadnochoiceexcepttostateourcase.The

purposeofmypressconferencewastorescuefromVietnamesehatredsafragile

agreementthatwouldendadecadeofagony.NixonandIagreedthatIhadto

replytoRadioHanoi’sbroadcast.Ihadtwoobjectives.OnewastoreassureHanoi

thatwewouldstandbythebasicagreement,whileleavingopenthepossibilityof

raisingSaigon’ssuggestedchanges.ThesecondwastoconveytoSaigonthatwe

weredeterminedtoproceedonourcourse.Thiswasnoteasywithoutcausingthe

SouthVietnamesetoappearasthesoleobstacletopeace,thustriggering

renewedassaultsbyourcriticsthatwoulddisintegratethepoliticalstructureof

anally.NixonandIdidnotdiscussthedomesticpoliticalimplications.Nixon’sone

instructioninthisrespectaskedmetostressthatthetermswehadalready

agreedwithHanoiwerebetterthanwhatMcGovernwaswillingtosettlefor

(whichofcoursewastrue).Inanyevent,theopportunitytomakethispointnever

arose.



SoithappenedthatIappearedforthefirsttimeonnationaltelevisionat

theveryendofNixon’sfirstterm.UntilDecember1971,exce ptforthe

announcementofmysecondChinatrip,allmypressbriefingshadbeenona

backgroundbasis,whichmeantthatIwasidentifiedaseitheraWhiteHouseor

Administrationspokesman,butneverbyname.AftertheWashingtonPosthad

brokenthebackgroundrulesduringtheIndia‐Pakistancrisis,mostofmypress

conferenceswereontherecord.TheWhiteHousepublicrelationspeople,

however,wereconvincedthatmyaccentmightdisturbMiddleAmerica;they

thereforepermittedpicturesbutnosoundatmyon‐the‐recordpress

conferences.OnOctober26theyfinallytookachanceonmypronunciation.



SincemyreturnfromSaigonIhad,infact,fearedthatHanoiwouldgo

publiconceitwasclearthattheOctober31signingasagreedinthe“shedyule”

wouldnotbekept.ThereforeIwasprepared.Mystaffhadsuggestedanswersto

themostlikelypressquestions,withacompilationofthemanytimesIhad

forewarnedLeDucThothatSaigonhadtobeconsulted,andalsowithasummary

ofintelligencereportsofCommunistdesignstograbthemaximumamountof

landjustbeforethecease‐fire.IwentoverthismaterialwithNixoninadvanceof

mypressconference.Iwouldreaffirmthebasicagreement;insistonsome

changeswithinitsfra mework;assureHanoiofourgoodwillandwarnitagainst

pressure;defendSaigon’srighttoaskforchangesandcautionitagainst

fundamentalrevision;andcommitustoarapidconclusionoftheagreement.Idid

notgoovermypreciselanguage,whichwasextemporaneous,butwediscussed

mygeneralthemes.WithhisoneextrarequesttogetinadigatMcGovern(which

Iinfactavoided),Nixonapprovedtheapproach.



AndthisisthelineIfollowed.InmyopeningremarksIutteredthephrase

(“peaceisathand”)thatwastohauntmefromthenon:



WehavenowheardfrombothVietnamsanditisobviousthatawarthathasbeen

ragingfortenyearsisdrawingtoaconclusion,andthatthisisatraumaticexperienceforallof

theparticipants…



Webelievethatpeaceisathand.Webelievethatanagreementiswithinsight,based

ontheMay8thproposalofthePresidentandsomeadaptationofourJanuary25thproposal

whichisjusttoallparties.Itisinevitablethatinawarofsuchcomplexity…thereshouldbe

occasionaldifficultiesinreachingafinalsolution,butwebelievethatbyfarthelongestpartof

theroadhasbeentraversedandwhatstandsinthewayofanagreementnowareissuesthat

arerelativelylessimportantthanthosethathavealreadybeensettled.



IdefendedtherightofthepeopleofSouthVietnam,“whohavesufferedso

much…whowillberemaininginthatcountryafterwehavedeparted,”to

participateinthemakingoftheirpeace.Theconcernsoftheirgovernment

deservedgreatrespect.Wewouldinsistonchanges,buttheyweresolubleina

briefperiodoftime.AsfortheAmericanpeople,wewereconsciousofthe

anguishthewarhadcaused:



Wehavebeenveryconsciousofthedivisionandtheanguishthatthewarhascausedin

thiscountry.OnereasonwhythePresidenthasbeensoconcernedwithendingthewarby

negotiation,andendingitinamannerthatisconsistentwithourprinciples,isbecauseofthe

hopethattheactofmakingpeacecouldrestoretheunitythathadsometimesbeenlostat

certainperiodsduringthewar,andsothattheagreementcouldbeanactofhealingrather

thanasourceofnewdivision.Thisremainsourpolicy.



AndIendedwithawarningtobothHanoiandSaigon: 



Wewillnotbestampededintoanagreementuntilitsprovisionsareright.Wewillnot

bedeflectedfromanagreementwhenitsprovisionsareright.Andwiththisattitude,andwith