Silence in Paris

Under orders from the White House, Ambassador William J. Porter has been talking tough since he took over as chief negotiator at the Paris peace talks six months ago. Last week he threatened not to talk at all. He told the North Vietnamese that the U.S. was suspending this week's discussions. It will also boycott all future sessions unless and until the Communists indicate their willingness to hold "serious discussions" on substantive issues.

Both sides, in fact, have canceled meetings in the past for various reasons, but Porter's threat had an air of finality about it. At a Washington press conference, President Nixon complained that the Paris talks amounted to "a three-and-a-half year filibuster on the part of the North Vietnamese. When they're ready, we're ready. But we are not going to let them use this forum for bullying the U.S."

By suspending the talks, the President hopes to pressure the Communists into starting serious negotiations. But if that does not happen in Paris, he will not be very surprised. In fact, if serious talks with the North Vietnamese are possible, they will most likely take place in secret--where most statecraft is accomplished--rather than at sessions that lend themselves to propaganda displays. The Administration has more confidence in Vietnamization than in talks and expects the war to come to some kind of halt no matter what happens at the conference table.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.