Paris Agreement Should Be Thoroughly Implemented
[This article is reprinted from Peking Review, Vol. 17, #5, Feb. 1, 1974, pp. 11-12.]
A YEAR has passed since the signing of the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Viet Nam about which concern was shown by the people and public opinion all over the world. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet Nam recently issued statements reviewing the great victories won by the Vietnamese people in carrying out the Paris agreement during the past year, denouncing the United States and the Saigon authorities for violating and sabotaging the Paris agreement, and reaffirming the solemn and just stand of the D.R.V.N. Government and the Republic of South Viet Nam P.R.G. on thoroughly implementing the agreement. The statements declare that the Vietnamese people will heighten their vigilance and continue their efforts to safeguard the Paris agreement and defend the fruits of revolution. The Chinese Government and people firmly support the solemn and just stand of the Vietnamese people.
The signing of the Paris agreement is a great victory for the Vietnamese people in their protracted struggle to resist aggression and defend national independence and sovereignty. The agreement affirms the fundamental national rights of the Vietnamese people and the right to self-determination of the south Vietnamese people, thereby creating the conditions for settlement of the Viet Nam problem in accordance with the national aspirations and interests of the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese people’s victory is convincing proof that imperialism and all reactionaries are paper tigers. It is the people of many countries fighting for justice who are really powerful, not imperialism which is strong only in appearance.
Certain achievements have been gained in implementing the Paris agreement in the past year and some important provisions of the agreement have been realized. For instance, the U.S. and other foreign troops have been completely withdrawn from south Viet Nam, the United States has ceased all acts of war in south Viet Nam, the mines laid by the U.S. in 10 waterways of the territorial waters of the D.R.V.N. have been deactivated and destroyed, and the international conference on Viet Nam has been convened. All this is conducive to improving the situation in Viet Nam and Southeast Asia, and is in conformity with the aspirations of all peace-loving countries and the people of the world.
It is clear to all that there are two diametrically opposed attitudes and actions in the course of the implementation of the Paris agreement. The D.R.V.N. Government and the Republic of South Viet Nam P.R.G. have strictly carried out the provisions of the Paris agreement and put forward a series of reasonable proposals, thereby demonstrating the greatest sincerity in pursuit of national reconciliation and concord and making unremitting efforts for bringing about a peaceful settlement of the Viet Nam problem. On the other hand, the Saigon authorities have ignored the provisions of the Paris agreement and repeatedly violated the agreement. They violated the stipulations of the ceasefire and launched tens of thousands of nibbling operations against areas under the control of the Provisional Revolutionary Government. They continue to trample upon the various democratic rights of freedom of the south Vietnamese people and step up their “pacification” policy to victimize and suppress the south Vietnamese people. They delay and avoid the complete return of the Provisional Revolutionary Government’s civilians they detain. They have used tricks at the two-party consultative conference of south Viet Nam and tried in a thousand and one ways to delay and obstruct consultations, thereby bringing the conference to a deadlock.
Of late, the Nguyen Van Thieu clique has gone so far as to make a series of frenzied war clamourings in open opposition to the Paris agreement and tried to deny the existence of two regimes, two armed forces, two regions of control and three political forces in south Viet Nam, a reality recognized by the agreement. This fully reveals the reactionary features of the clique as warlike and dictatorial. Obviously, the criminal actions of the Thieu clique have been carried out with U.S. support and encouragement. It should also be pointed out that the United States has left behind in south Viet Nam many military personnel in disguise under various pretexts. Because of the violation of the Paris agreement by the Saigon authorities and the U.S. side, many important provisions of the agreement so far have not been thoroughly implemented and the situation remains tense in south Viet Nam. This can only meet with the firm opposition of the Vietnamese people and strong condemnation by the people of the world.
The situation of the implementation of the Paris agreement in the past year, shows that signing the agreement does not mean its implementation. An acute and complex struggle has to be carried out before what was written on paper can be turned into reality and before the provisions of the agreement can be fully implemented. We are convinced that in the new excellent situation the heroic Vietnamese people will certainly overcome all difficulties and obstacles that may arise and will march forward courageously on the road to achieving peace, independence and democracy in Viet Nam and proceed to bring about the peaceful reunification of their fatherland.
(“Renmin Ribao” editorial, January 27)
Contents page for this Peking Review issue.
Peking Review article list (in date order).
Peking Review article list (by subject).