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 Rh

NIACT

SENT DEPARTMENT 2250 REPEATED INFORMATION PARIS 706 PHNOM PENH, VIETIANE UNNUMBERED.

LIMITED DISTRIBUTION

FROM COLLINS

Re DEPTELS 2305 repeated Paris 2094 and 2378 unnumbered December 10.

This message in two parts.

PART I

1. Relations with French:

(A) Earlier this week Ely was an verge of signing minute of understanding on organization and training of Vietnamese armed forces. Now French have come up with new amendments requiring US respect Ely's responsibilities "under Geneva accords" and including long new "protocol" with severel references to Geneva. Whether these new proposals come from Ely's legal staff or Paris I do not (repeat not) know, but inclined believe latter since Ely agreed to resolve few remaining minor points directly with me and since he has said several times that Paris political circles would have to be satisfied. I intend refuse accept any reference to Geneva accord or make any further concessions reference O'Daniel's full responsibility for training under Ely's broad direction.

(B) Interview with Sainteny, to which Ely and his officer continue to refer with Cahgrin, appears reinforce view that our relations with French in Indochina may remain less clear-cut than Ely wishes and has given me to believe they are

2. Latest developments re Quat: Rh