271. Memorandum of Conversation1 Moscow, May 24, 1972, 7:50 ...

May 13–May 31, 1972 1057
position of strength. There may come a critical moment for the Vietnamese
when they will not refuse to let in forces of other countries to
act on their own side.
The President: That threat doesn’t frighten us a bit, but go ahead
and make it.
Chairman Kosygin: Don’t think you are right in thinking what we
say is a threat and what you say is not a threat. This is a question of a
major war, and we say this, we don’t say it as a threat. This is an analysis
of what may happen and that is much more serious than a threat.
Mr. President, when you came to office we were of the opinion
you as a politician of long-standing would take advantage of the possibilities,
and we think the possibility is still there since you were not
a party to unleashing the war. We still think there is something you
can do in order to end the war and to bring peace to that area. And if
an attempt is made to resolve the matter as you explained, that is to
say if they do not agree and you do use strength, in short you would
simply destroy Vietnam; that is something quite frankly that would entail
no glory either for the United States or yourself, Mr. President.
Now wherein lies the basic issue? You say you are prepared to
withdraw your troops and this the Vietnamese are now welcoming.
Now you say you want to secure the return of American prisoners of
war. Quite recently, Premier Pham Van Dong made a statement that as
soon as the war is over the Vietnamese are quite ready to release all
prisoners. So there is a solution to that problem too.
The third question is that of a government. They say they are willing
to set up a government of three elements. Dr. Kissinger knows just
several days ago Pham Van Dong’s statement was made public, and
that is what he told me when I spoke to him. So one thing remains.
You still need to retain the so-called President in South Vietnam, someone
you call President, who has not been chosen by anyone.
The President: Who chose the President of North Vietnam?
Chairman Kosygin: The entire people.
The President: Go ahead.
Chairman Podgorny: As for the President in North Vietnam, the
late President Ho Chi Minh of North Vietnam was even admired by
the South Vietnamese and regarded as their President.
Chairman Kosygin: For the sake of him [Thieu], you want to send
under the axe hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese, maybe even a
million, and your own soldiers, simply to save the skin of a mercenary
President, so-called. We have known the Vietnamese leaders for many
years very well—Ho Chi Minh, Pham Van Dong, Le Duan. They are
all very serious-minded and dedicated and with great experience in
the struggle and devotion to their people.