1.
SV Thieu's car arrives & Thieu out
0.13

2.
SV Thieu & party up stairs
0.30

3.
EV EXT. Building & car outside
0.35

4.
CV Thieu speaks to press
1.44


JONES: "Rumours of an imminent ceasefire have so deeply permeated this country that President Thieu finds himself forced into an adversary role. He is out campaigning against a quickie peace. The peace proposals urged on him by the Big Powers are becoming more and more unpalatable to Thieu. He rejects a ceasefire while his enemies hold South Vietnamese territory. He will not negotiate directly with the National Liberation Front: He will not accept a tripartite Government with Vietcong membership. For the second time in ten days Thieu agreed to meet with Western newsmen."



REPORTER: "Has there been any change at the Paris talks?"



THIEU: "Since four years, since the recent declaration of the September Eleven and September 15 I have not seen any change from the position of the communists. But on the contrary I have that their newest position is a more vicious, more stubborn than ever."



REPORTER: Mr President, what effect do you think the Presidential election in the United States might have on the American position at Paris and on Indo-China in general?"



THIEU: "I think that the stand and the view of President Nixon on the Indo-China war and the Vietnam war is very clear. And we also have a very clear position on how to conclude the war in Indo-China and in Vietnam. I think that how the election in the United States affect that position I don't know."



In South Vietnam President Thieu repeatedly rejected current suggestions that the war could be finished through setting up a three-part, coalition government. In Quang Tri on Thursday he gave Western newsmen a second conference in ten days to comment on rumours of an imminent and to the war, and said that the Communist proposal for a coalition favoured the Communists. He rejected a ceasefire as long as Communists hold South Vietnamese territory and refused to negotiate directly with the National Liberation Front....




Initials SGM/2345


TELERECORDING original on 12019/72 79ft
This film shows President Thieu arriving for his Quang Tri news conference, with extracts from it. In addition to reporters' questions and President Thieu's answers it carries a sound commentary by NBC reporter Bob Jones. An alternative written commentary is also supplied.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: President Thieu of South Vietnam this week repeatedly rejected any political solution to the war in Vietnam involving coalition or tripartite government.

The South Vietnamese leader was commenting on speculation that an end to the war was imminent.

Speaking to the Medicine Faculty of Saigon University on Friday (September 29) the President said that if the United States withdraws its troops unconditionally the Communists will win militarily. "If we accept a coalition", he said, "we will lose politically".

The coalition proposed by the Viet cong - of the existing Government, the Communist, and a third political grouping - would be pro-Communist, the President said.

The day before, in Quang Tri, President Thieu met with Western newsmen for the second time in ten days to comment on the prospects of a break-through in the Paris peace talks, and the peace proposals now being urged on him.

He said recent Communist statements from Paris show the Communist position is more vicious and stubborn than ever.