176-10036-10089 JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY : NARA RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10089 RECORD SERIES : National Security Files AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ; ORIGINATOR : CIA FROM : TO: TITLE : Comments of President Diem on the Situation ’ DATE : 11/20/1962 PAGES : 2 SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000 OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 197: Vietnam, 11/62. Box 2
Spd STEP Ta 8 ee . ad a _ ET San had Via Yom Race t INFORMATION REPORT fgggig CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY7 =/ - This material contains Information affecting the National Defenses of the United States within the meaning of the Esponege Loews, Title 18, USC Sees 793 and 794, the transmission of revelation of which in eny manner to an unauthoried person is prohibited by Jaw. ‘CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS C-0-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L NO FOREIGN DISSEM COUNTRY SOUTH VIETNAM/SOUTHEAST ASIA /CHINA REPORT NO. TDCS -3/528, seas fy i iP £ SUBJECT COMMENTS OF PRESTEDENT DIEM ON THE ; DATE DISTR. 20 NOVEMBER ashe &, i a 1 SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASTA preceoence ROUTINE DATE OF 14 NOVEMBER 1962 REFERENCES IN INFO, PLACE & VIETNAM, SAIGON (14 NOVEMBER 1962) DATE ACO. APPRAISAL _SEE BELOW - FIELD REPORTNO. FVS-8190 THIS Is UNEVALUATED INFORMATION. SOURCE GRADINGS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE. SOURCE APPR. ‘L. PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM STATED ON 14 NOVEMBER 1962 THAT THE FRENCH WERE “ATIEMPTING TO MAINTAIN THEIR CONTROL IN SOUTHEAST ASIA BY THE NEUTRALIZATION OF THE. AREA AND BY THE DIMINUTION OR EJECTION OF SIGNIFICANT AMERICAN PRESENCE . DIEM STATED THAT SUCH IS HAPPENING IN LAOS: AND WHAT IS UNDER WAY IN CAMBODIA, WITH THE POSSIBLE FORCED WITHDRAWAL OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ASSISTANCE AND ADVISORY GROUP THERE. THR UNITED STATES WILL DISCOVER THAT THE FRENCH ARE INCAPABLE OF ‘DISCHARGING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES EITHER IN LAOS OR IN CAMBODIA. FRENCH JURISTS ARE DRAWING UP THE NEUTRALIZATION PROPOSAL IN PHNOM PENH, DIEM REMARKED. 2, DIEM CLAIMED THAT THE SITUATION IN LAOS WILL FALL TO PIECES, BECAUSE THERE Is ‘NO BASIC STRUCTURE ON WHICH TO WORK. HE FELT THAT IT IS AN ABSURD ATTEMPT GaOUP t Excluded from automate downgrading ond / declosuficatron CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS ' C-O-N-F-I[-D-E-N-T-I-A-L NO FOREIGN DISSEM _ FORM 1 Kib:, oBSOLETE RREVIOUS EDITIONS. —_ (35-20)
eh, “C-O-N-F-I-D-E:N-T-I-A-L. | ‘NO FOREIGN DISSEM © CLASSIFICATION— DISSEMINATION CONTROLS - TDCS -3/528, 822 TO IMPOSE. IN LAOS A DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM CHARACTERISTIC OF THE OLD AND ESTABLISHED COUNTRIES OF WESTERN EUROPE, AND EVEN .MORE CHARACTERISTIC OF THOSE COUNTRIES AT THE ‘END OF THE NINETEENTH . CENTURY . ' ALL .OF THE LAO ARMED FORCES. ARE NOT , COMPLETELY LACKING IN FIGHTING SPIRIT, DIEM . STATED, BUT CHANGING AMERICAN POLICIES IN LAOS HAVE TENDED TO DEMORALIZE THE LAO FORCES AND DESTROY THEIR SPIRIT. DIEM SAID THAT THAILAND STILL HAS SEVERAL COURSES. OF POSSIBLE. ACTION | CONCERNING LAOS, FOR INSTANCE, THATLAND COULD DENY RICE SUPPLIES AND CUT OFF ” ACCESS FOR OTHER IMPORTS INTO LAOS. “THAILAND SHOULD HAVE INVADED LAOS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SOVIET AIRLIFT, AND SHOULD HAVE WITHDRAWN STEP. BY STEP IN Acocrb pres WITH THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE TROOPS. FROM NORTH VIETNAM. "COMMUNIST CHINA MAY HAVE STARTED THE LAO VENTURE iN ORDER ‘TO CONSOLIDATE PHONG SALY, SAM NEUA, AND NORTHERN LAOS IN GENERAL, AS. A PROTECTION FOR YUNNAN PROVINCE, WHICH DIEM DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE AREAS ON MAINLAND CHINA, DIEM. SELIVED THE CHINESE. NATIONALISTS SHOULD DIRECT PROBING ACTIONS INTO SUCH AREAS aS: YUNNAN, INSTEAD OF CONDUCTING THEM FRONTALLY AGAINST THE COASTAL AREAS. —_ 3s FIELD DISSEM. STATE ARMY NAVY AIR _ USMACV MAAG AID USIA 9TH _ FIELD STATION @ND AIR DIVISION CINCPAC ARPAC PACFLT PACAF. END OF MESSAGE CLASSIFICATION — DISSEMINATION CONTROLS C.0.NF_I. DE_N2- TeA.L | " NO. FORBIGN DISSEM 2