FOR PRESS: PM. No. 82/ 1971
V IE T NAM CORRESPONDENCE
In accordance with his undertaking to the House
of Reprsentatives last night 18 August), the Prime Minister,
Mr Wiliam McMahon, today tabled photocopies of the following
correspondence: Marked is a copy of a letter dated
29 April 1965, sent by the Australian Ambassador
to the Republic of Vietnam to His Excellency,
Dr Phan Huy Quat, Prime Minister of the Republic
of Vietnam; and
Marked is a copy of a letter dated 29 April 1965
sent by His Excellency, Dr Phan Huy Quat, Prime
Minister of the Republic of Vietnam to the Australian
Ambassador of the Republic of Vietnam.
CANBERRA, 19 August 1971
4-
BACKGROUND: In a statement released to the Press on 22 June, 1971,
the Prime Minister said: " It should be remembered that in July 1964
the Prime Minister of South Vietnam, then Major-General
Nguyen Khanh, in a published letter addressed to the Heads
of State of 34 countries, including Australia, had appealed
for ' all the support you deem possible and opportune in
order to help us successfully fight the communist aggression.'
And as I have pointed out on another occasion,
the Prime Minister of South Vietnam, Mr Tran Van Huong,
in December 1964 in discussion with the Australian Minister
for Air, then visiting Vietnam, and the Australian Ambassador,
asked for an increased Australian military contribution.
Mr Huong said the situation was now such that
large scale assistance was urgently needed from all free
nations ' in every form but particularly military'.
On 29 April there was an exchange of letters
between the Australian Ambassador and the Prime Minister
of South Vietnam. In these letters, the Australian Government
offered to send a battalion if one were requested, and the
South Vietnamese Government accepted this offer and made
its request in terms conforming with the requirements of the
South-East Asia Treaty.
A
29th April, 1965
tour Uzoelleney I have the honour, with refarence to our
conversation yesterday, to confirm the Auatraltun
Government's ofer to oond to Viat Hem an infantry
battalion of 800 men, with some 100 porsonnel in
logistic eupporS, to serve with United States foroes
in assisting in the defence of the Republic of
Viet Name I have informed the Australian Government,
following our oonversation, that Yo'r Soellanoy has
accepted this offer end haa requested ths deap~ toh
of this force to Viet Hen on the basis which we
dicussed* Please accept, Exoellenoy. the assurances
of my highest consideration* ( II. Do Aderon)
Ambassador
is Szoe11eoy Dr Phan lumy Q=% g
Prime Minister of the Repoblio at
Viet nam,
BA! 001f
TH-TU' NG PHU. 29th April, 1965
No 511-TTP/ VP/ M Dear Mr. Ambassador, I have the honor to refer to your letter
of today's date confirming the Australian Government's
offer to send to Viet Nam an infantry battalion of
800 men, with some 100 personnel in logistic support
to serve with United States forces in assisting in
the defence of the Republic of Vietnam.
I wish to confirm my government's acceptance
of this offer and to request the dispatch of this
force to Viet Nam on the basis which we discussed.
Sincerely,
V. A
A RWAN-HUY-QUAT
The Honorable
H. D. Anderson
Ambassador of the government-of Australia
Saigon, Vietnam.