Telegram, Li Kenong to Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, and the Central Committee, 'Briefing on the Meeting by the Chinese, Soviet and Vietnamese Delegations'

(top secret)

Chairman [Mao Zedong], Comrade, and the Central Committee, Zhou [Enlai], Zhang [Wentian], and Wang [Jiaxiang]:

The Chinese, Soviet, and Vietnamese delegations, following the usual practice, held a joint meeting at 11:00 a.m. on 29 June. The main points of the meeting are reported here as follows:

(1) Comrade [Vasily V.] Kuznetsov mentions that he had a meeting yesterday afternoon with [Jean] Chauvel, head of the French delegation. Chauvel said that the proposed solution put forward by the Vietnamese side at the meeting by the chief military representatives of the two sides on the 28th was much too demanding, which made him very uneasy. Chauvel further said that as this was the first meeting, it is natural that they [the Vietnamese] asked for a higher payout of debts, and this… [the sentence ends abruptly]
Kuznetsov said that you [Chauvel] proposed the 18th parallel, and that would not work.

As a matter of fact, the central part of Vietnam has a small population and is not so much of value, why do they want to have it? Kuznetsov then asked: If it is not of high value, why do you not mention it? Kuznetsov further says: I hope that you will give a comprehensive presentation about the situation of the three countries, so that the question will be settled.

(2) At today's meeting, Comrade Pham Van Dong at one point introduced the idea of discussing economic interests further, and discussing about the zone division issue less. Kuznetsov does not say much about this issue, only says that they will give further consideration to it. Our delegation then had an internal discussion, and we are of the opinion that at the present time the zone division issue remains a key issue concerning Vietnam and Laos, to ask for too little will be disadvantageous, and to ask for too much will block the realization of an overall agreement. Therefore, we hope that the meeting at Nanning should make an early decision on this issue and inform the Vietnamese delegation us as early as possible, so that the negotiation process will be pushed forward.

Li Kenong,
29 June 1954