Telegram of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Ambassador of Romania in Hanoi, Regarding the Conversation of Petre Balaceanu, Ambassador of Romania in Washington, with Dean Rusk

Nr. 123156 (to Hanoi from Directorate VI)

Comrade Ambassador,

Today, 10 May, at 0930 Bucharest time, Eduard Mezincescu, the deputy foreign minister, received Hoa Tu Truc, the charge d’affaires of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Referring to the desire expressed on previous occasions by the Vietnamese to be informed on new aspects or elements appearing in the American way of thinking about the Vietnamese problem, Eduard Mezincescu delivered the following communication:

On the occasion of the reception that took place in Washington and at which participated the diplomatic corps, Dean Rusk, Secretary of State in the U.S. Department of State – engaged the Ambassador of Romania in conversation. Dean Rusk affirmed that the U.S. had no pretentions on Indochina or South Vietnam; they wish neither to remain there nor to extend the war.  What the USA desires is the creation of conditions for the Vietnamese people to decide their fate for themselves.

Dean Rusk added that he declared with all decisiveness that the American government will never accept, regardless of the risks, that South Vietnam would be occupied through force of arms by D.R. Vietnam. Dean Rusk said: “We are as obstinate as our adversaries, and we will never cede to armed force.” Then he added that the U.S.A. sought the resolution of the conflict through negotiations. “If Hanoi, said Dean Rusk, agrees to diminish the accent which it today places on the military side of the conflict and move towards the political, slowing the influx of its troops in the South, we are ready to take corresponding measures that should favor the beginning of negotiations.”

The Ambassador of Romania took note of what Dean Rusk said and reminded him on the spot of the appreciation and position of the Romanian government regarding the American aggression against Vietnam. He also explained that if the U.S.A. government desires negotiations, it should address itself directly to the interested parties, that is, to the government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, as well as the National Front of Liberation of South Vietnam. At the same time he explained that the Romanians do not consider it indicated for it to act as mediator in this conflict.

To that, Dean Rusk declared that he knows the position of the Romania government, both on the conflict in Vietnam as well as regarding the problem of meditating between sides already in conflict. Dean Rusk requested nevertheless that the Romanian Ambassador retain what he communicated and transmit the above message to Foreign Minister Corneliu Manescu.

In conclusion, Deputy Minister Eduard Mezincescu explained again that, giving course to the desire expressed previously by the Vietnamese side, to be informed about issues that could throw light on the manner of thinking on the American side, the Romania government decided to bring to the attention of the Vietnamese government, through the intermediary of the chargé d’affaires of Vietnam in Bucharest, the conversation of the Romanian Ambassador in Washington with Dean Rusk. Thanking him and expressing his gratitude for the communication received, the chargé explained that this sort of information, received from the Romanian side, is useful and efficient for establishing the line of the DR Vietnam in this problem.

We inform you that, in conformity with the leadership of the party, do not (we repeat not) show that you have knowledge of this problem in the telegram, even if the Vietnamese side tries to broach discussion of it with you, before the departure of the delegation(s. n.). You will immediately inform the MFA regarding eventual attempts on the part of the Vietnamese to broach the above-mentioned problem in discussion with you.