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56 PEACE IN VIETNAM tion. Rus’ television interview at this time expressec {: most rigid admu..stration view with regard to the National Liberation Front. The United States cannot expect to escalate the war of deeds and words and at the same time talk peace.*6 What, exactly, are the points that have been set forth by the North Vietnamese, the National Liberation Front, and the United States as a basis for negotiation? Are they so far apart that there eA onncethl h f. ai 7 ’ is no possible basis for discussion at a conference table? Let us first look at the various negotiating points, then consider develop- ments that indicate a converging of views. A. North Vietnam The firmly repeated negotiating position of Hanoi was first given in the following statement of Premicr Pham Van Dong on April 8, 1965. Wt is the unswerving policy of the government of the D.R.V. [Demo- cratic Republic of Vietnam] to strictly respect the 1954 Geneva Agree- ments on Wiet-Nam and to correctly implement their basic provisions as embodied in the following points: 1. Recognition of the basic national rights of the Vietnamese peo- pie-—peace, independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. According to the Geneva Agreements, the United States government must withdraw from South Viet-Nam United States troops, military personnel, and weapons of all kinds, dismantle all United States mili- tary bases there, cancel its “military alliance” with South Viet-Nam. fedarerntian aed aneraccinn Santh Viet. it must end its policy of INLErVENniGh aia AEC Peaster in URL OW IA Nam. According to the Geneva Agreements, the United States govern- ment must stop its acts of war against North Viet-Nam, completely cease all encroachments on the territory and sovereignty of the D.R.V. . Pending the peaceful reunification of Viet-Nam, whiie Vict-Nam is st wi temporarily divided into two zones, the military provisions of the 1954 Geneva Agreements on Viet-Nam must be strictly respected. The two zones must refrain from joining any military alliance with foreign countries. There must be no foreign military bases, troops, or military personnel in their respective territory. 2. The internal affairs of South Vict-Nam must be setiled by the we Baek aire ila, 2 a mds — = New York Times, December 8, 1965. * See Arthur Krock, New York Times, December 21, 1965.