1.
GV EXTERIOR.. International Conference Centre
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2.
CU Sign
0.06

3.
MV Mr. Xuan Thuy arrives and waves to newsmen
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4.
MV Mr. Porter arriving
0.27

5.
MV Mr. Din Ba Thi arriving and walks to microphone and SCU speaking SOUND IN: "Bonjour Madames..." SOUND OUT: "...merci bien".
2.08



Initials ES. 2.06 ES. 2.21



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Vietnam peace talks sank into deeper deadlock today (Thursday 18 November) in Paris after the United States declared that in the absence of a reply to its proposals it had nothing further to say to the Communists at the moment.

A U.S. spokesman emphasized that the American team was not boycotting the three-year-old talks, but today's session -- the 136th -- was the shortest on record.

The chief United States delegate, Mr. William Porter, remarked that the Communist statements made today were stale and contained nothing new. He then proposed that next week's session be postponed until December 2 because of the American Thanksgiving holiday. The Communists agreed.

Before the talks began, Communist delegate Mr. Din Ba Thi, addressed newsmen in French, criticising President Nixon's policy towards the war in Indo-China and claiming that the American Government was preparing new military campaigns to gain advantage in the peace talks.

SYNOPSIS: At the International Conference Centre in Paris on Thursday, delegates representing North Vietnam, the United States and South Vietnam arrived for the 136th session of peace talks. Hanoi's chief delegate, Mr. Xuan Thuy, was back after a two-month absence. The American leader, Mr. William Porter, was later to issue a blunt statement declaring that the United States had nothing further to say to the Communists following the absence of any reply to its earlier proposals.

Another Hanoi delegate, Mr. Din Ba Thi, gave a statement to newsmen before entering the building to begin the session. He criticised President Nixon's public declarations on the Indo-China war, and claimed that the Americans were persisting in the war in an effort to gain a bargaining hand at the peace talks. The chief Saigon delegate, Mr. Pham Dang Lam, had echoed the American approach to the talks on the Vietnam war. He also cited the United States troop withdrawal rate, and South Vietnamese President Thieu's call last month for a ceasefire and talks between North and South Vietnam. Thursday's session was to last for two hours and 15 minutes, including a 43-minute break for lunch. It was the shortest session ever held. The Communist delegates are reported to have made frequent references to President Nixon's press statements announcing more troop withdrawals, saying that he was refusing to meet demands for a total pull-out from Vietnam. The Vietcong offered to provide Washington with a means of transport, if the United States lacked them, to help more American troops out of Southeast Asia.