LAIRD HOLDING PRESS CONFERENCE AT AIRPORT: REPORTERS: LAIRD SAYING GOOD-BYE AMBASSADOR SIN SANG-CHUL: LAIRD AND US AMBASSADOR BUNKER: LAIRD AND GEN. ABRAMS: LAIRD AND MRS. BUNKER: GEN ABRAMS AND MRS. BUNKER: AIRCRAFT TAXIING.




Initials LD/V/BOB/OS



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Background: AT THE END OF THREE-DAY FACT-FINDING MISSION TO SOUTH VIETNAM, THE UNITED STATES' NEW SECRETARY OF DEFENCE, MELVIN LAIRD, GAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE AT SIAGON'S TAN SON NHCT AIRPORT. WHILE MAINTAINING THAT THE U.S. INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT SOUTH VIETNAM RECEIVED ALL THE ADDITIONAL MATERIAL AND TRAINING ASSISTANCE IT NEEDED IN THE ??? HE ADDED THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE AND DESIRABLE THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE SOUTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS SHOULD REPLACE SOME AMERICAN FIGHTING MEN FOR "I DO NOT WANT TO SEE ONE U.S. MILITARY MAN VIETNAM ONE DAY LONGER THAN NECESSARY."
MR. LAIRO WAS A ACCOMPANIED TO THE AIRPORT BY U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH VIETNAM ELLSWORTH BUNKER AND MRS. BUNKER; GENERAL CREIGHTON ABRAMS, U.S. MILITARY COMMANDER IN SOUTH VIETNAM; THE KOREAN AMBASSADOR MR. SIN SANG-CHUL; VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AND A LARGE PRESS CONFERENCE.

AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE MR. LAIRD WAS ASKED ABOUT VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE WAR. ON THE CONTINUED SHELLING OF SOUTH VIETNAMESE CITIES - "IF THE VIOLATIONS CONTINUE, AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE IN A MILITARY OR DIPLOMATIC WAY WILL BE FORTHCOMING". ON THE PARIS PEACE TALK - "WE MUST BE PREPARED FOR THE EVENTUALITY THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE SUCCESSFULLY, BUT EVERYBODY HOPES AND PRAYS THAT THEY WILL BE." ON THE LATEST NORTH VIETNAM OFFENSIVE - "IT IS APPARENT TO ME FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN THAT THE ENEMY'S CALCULATED ESCALATION BY ATTEMPT AT THE NEW OFFENSIVE HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. THEY HAVE LONG LOST ANY CHANCE OF MILITARY VICTORY IN THIS AREA." ON WHETHER U.S. TROOPS HAD GONE OVER THE BORDER INTO LAOS - "I WOULD NOT CONFIRMED THAT THEY WERE NOW, BUT I COULD CERTAINLY SAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN OPERATIONS IN WHICH IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY, IN ORDER TO PROTECT AMERICAN FIGHTING FORCES, THAT UNDOUBTLY THE BORDER, BEING A VERY INDEFINITE BORDER, MAY HAVE BEEN TRANSGRESSED BY AMERICAN FORCES IN THE PROTECTION OF THE LIVES OF AMERICAN TROOPS....I DO NOT CONSIDER THAT AN ESCALATION. I DON'T THINK ANYONE ELSE WOULD." SINCE THIS WAS THE FIRST CONFIRMATION BY A SENIORS UNITED STATES OFFICIAL IN SOUTH VIETNAM THAT THEIR TROOPS MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE CROSSED THE LAOS BORDER, MR. LAIRD WAS FURTHER QUESTIONED ON ACTION IN LAOS. PARTICULARLY SINCE THE SO-CALLED "HO CHI MINH TRAIL" IS NORTH VIETNAM'S MAIN SUPPLY ROUTE THROUGH LAOS AND CAMBODIA IN SOUTH VIETNAM.

MR. LAIRD REPLIED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO COMMANDERS IN THE FIELD AND "OUR COMMANDER ARE ABLE TO TAKE NECESSARY MEASURES TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THEIR MEN IN THE FIELD.... IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF HOT PURSUIT OR OF OPERATIONAL PLANNING THIS IS A QUESTION OF THE SAFETY OF AMERICAN LIVES."