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TO: Amembassy SAIGON

JOINT STATE-DEFENSE MESSAGE TO US AMBASSADOR SAIGON AND CHIEF OF US MAAG SAIGON

The following message contains the policy of the US Government and your instructions necessary to carry out paragraphs 10-a and 10-d, Part IV of NSC 5429/2:

(1) It is US Govt. policy to support the Government of Free Vietnam under the Premiership of Ngo Dinh Diem and to assist that Government initially (a) to promote internal security and political stability in Free Vietnam, (b) to establish and maintain control by that Government throughout the territory of Free Vietnam, and (c) effectively to counteract Viet Minh infiltration and paramilitary activities south of the 17th Parallel.

(2) For these purposes and utilizing existing Vietnamese armed forces, it is the policy of the US Govt. that all appropriate agencies and MAAG Saigon should immediately develop and initiate with the Vietnamese Government a program for training that number of Vietnamese armed forces necessary to carry Rh