Page:Pentagon-Papers-Part-VI-A.djvu/8

 U THANT continued to try to arrange a cease-fire on any terms the US might want to propose (including extension of a truce line through both Vietnam and Laos). The Administration did not pick up this officer.

ERIC SEVAREID commented on these peace feelers on 28 July 1965 (CBS Radio London) and again in, 15 November 1965. The of 10 August 1965 also speculated on the story. Official acknowledgement did not come until 17 November at a press conference. State Department spokesman Robert McCloskey said we had refused to talk with Hanoi because "we did not believe North Vietnam was prepared for serious talks." Dean Rusk elaborated on this a week later during a 26 November news conference. Mr. Rusk explained that in the autumn of 1964, it seemed. clear "beyond a peradventure of doubt that Hanoi was not prepared to discuss peace in Southeast Asia based upon the agreements of 1954 and 1962 and looking toward the lifting of aggression against South Vietnam."

INDIAN PRESIDENT SHASTRI asked Russian and American leaders to discuss the problems of Southeast Asia; the Indian foreign ministry suggested the Geneva Conference be reconvened.

PRESIDENT DE GAULLE, reportedly at Hanoi's urging, suggested a new Geneva Meeting to discuss the future of both Southeast Asia and the United Nations. The Soviet Union and Bulgaria supported the French idea; there were indications of Communist China's willingness to attend such a conference. (Yet on 19 February, Chen Yi reportedly said there would be no negotiations until the US withdrew from South Vietnam; he ridiculed the US insistence that a cease-fire come first.)

HANOI said (25 February 1965) negotiations would be considered if American troops were withdrawn from South Vietnam. (Drew Middleton reported US withdrawal was not a prerequisite to talks if eventual evacuation of US military forces from South Vietnam would be stipulated in a final settlement. [, March 1965]

The US suggested the French had been given no mandate to act as mediator and said it was not interested in a return to the conference table at this time. The (17 February) reported both President Johnson and Vice President Humphrey publicly indicated they