Cable from Zhu Qiwen, 'The Vietnamese Side passing on the Soviet Communist Party’s Proposal regarding the Holding of a Three-Party Summit among the Soviet Party, and the Vietnamese Party, and the Chinese Party'

Please transfer this telegram to the Department of Soviet and East European Affairs after reading.

Incoming Telegram for the Central Committee

Telegraph Office Document No. [65] 1189

[Extra Urgent; Top Secret]

The Vietnamese Side passing on the Soviet Communist Party’s Proposal regarding the Holding of a Three-Party Summit among the Soviet Party, and the Vietnamese Party, and the Chinese Party

To the Central Committee via the International Liaison Department:

On 5 April, Hoang Van Hoan, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, told me to pass the following message on to our party’s central committee:

On 4 April, the Vietnamese Embassy in USSR reported that, at 10:00 a.m. on 4 April, the Soviet Foreign Minister, Gromyko, presented the Charge D'affaires of the Vietnamese Embassy a letter by the Soviet Communist Party’s Central Committee to Chairman Ho Chi Minh, Le Duan, and Pham Van Dong. In this letter, the Soviet Communist Party expressed its concern about the serious situation in Vietnam now, and suggested that the Soviet Party, Vietnamese Party, and the Chinese Party should hold a summit meeting regarding this situation and to discuss solutions. The meeting could take place anywhere, and the Soviets are looking forward to an early reply from the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party.

Hoang Van Hoan said, Gromyko told the Vietnamese Charge D'affaires that the Soviets had presented an identical letter to the Chinese ambassador in USSR at 9:30 am on 4 April. And the Vietnamese Charge D'affaires had not yet radioed the full text of the letter back to the Vietnamese Party.

On the morning of 5 April, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party exchanged their views, and the opinions of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party are as follows:

The Vietnamese side does not know what the Soviet side is going to discuss at the three-party meeting which the Soviet Communist Party proposed on a so urgent manner, and the Soviet letter only expresses its concern about the Vietnam problem, suggesting an exchange of views among the three parties. In the meeting, the Soviet side would probably raise the issue on assistance to Vietnam against the US, or maybe raise the so-called peace talk issue for which world opinion is attacking Vietnam now. However, no matter what issues the Soviet side is going to discuss, the Vietnamese side believes that this meeting proposal is acceptable, and the Soviet side’s attitude could be made clear through this meeting. So, the Vietnam side would like exchange views especially with the Chinese Party on this issue, and suggests the Chinese Communist Party agree to hold this three-party meeting. The Vietnamese side suggests the meeting place chosen should be in Beijing, which would be convenient for both the Soviet and Vietnamese representatives to convene and return home, and would allow this meeting to be kept in a more secret way.

Now, the Vietnamese side has telegraphed its Embassy in USSR to inquire to the Soviet side about the issues of the meeting, which could also gain some time for the Vietnamese side to exchange views with the Chinese Communist Party in advance. The Vietnamese side wishes for a reply as soon as possible, if the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party has any opinion, so that the Vietnamese side could give the Soviet side a reply.

Zhu Qiwen

5 April 1965