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PRIORITY

SENT DEPARTMENT 50; REPEATED INFORMATION LONDON 11, SAIGON 8, GENEVA 4.

Re DEPTEL 4853.

Parodi this morning gave me French reaction to US-UK terms for Indochina settlement. He said the terms generally parallel present French position and are welcomed by French Government. However, they have one important reservation in that they consider that paragraphs 4 and 5 may be mutually contradictory.

French feel that eventual agreement will have to contain provisions for which would comply with paragraph 5 of US-UK agreement. However, if elections should go wrong way, this would seem to contradict paragraph 4 of US-UK agreement, which says there should be no (repeat no) political provisions which would risk loss of the retained area. Accordingly, they request clarification from us as to US and UK position regarding elections.

In addition Parodi said that French do not (repeat not) fully understand what we mean when we say we would be willing to "respect" agreement. Parodi said that the word "respect" seemed weak and unclear French would like clarification if at all possible.

DILLON

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