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15. As the only government in Korea recognised by Her Majesty's Government is that of the Republic of Korea (South Korea), the Delegation should vote against any proposal to grant the North Korean authorities any status in or permission to attend ECAFE meetings. The dialogue taking place between the Republic of Korea and the authorities in the North in no way affect this line.
VIETNAM
(a) Representation at ECAFE meetings
16. The Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) is a member of ECAFE. North Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government have no status in ECAFE.
17. This year a new situation has been created by the Paris Agreement of January 1973, whose implications are clearly that there are two states in Vietnam. Several Western countries - the Benelux countries and Italy among them - have now recognised North Vietnam, and we ourselves have revealed in the House of Commons that contacts were made with the North Vietnamese by the UK delegation at the International Conference on Vietnam (26 February to 2 March at Paris) with a view to discussing the possibility of diplomatic relations. If the question of the membership for North Vietnam comes up, the delegation should abstain, and, in general, should keep a low profile on this problem.
18. The Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam is another matter. Although a signatory to the January Feace Agreement and the Act of the International Conference, it fulfils none of our criteria for consideration as a state (it has no administrative headquarters in South Vietnam and controls none of the 45 provincial capitals).
19. Participation of the PRG in the work of ECAFE would be against the interests of the South Vietnamese Government and friendly non-Communist Governments as a whole. The UK delegation should therefore vote and lobby against any attempt to involve the PRG in the work of ECAFE in any way.
20.
A list of Governments who recognise North Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and the Provisional Revolutionary Govern- ment of South Vietnam is attached as Annex A to this brief.
(b) Post-war reconstruction
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21. We are committed by Ministerial statements of successive Administrations to join in any international operation for post-war relief and reconstruction in Indo China and the Delegation may re-affirm this if required to do so but should generally take no initiative in this subject. Relatively speaking, we have a very minor stake political or commercial in Indo China and it is not for us to take initiatives. Even our most generous contribution would be small compared with the needs of the situation and with the anticipated contributions of governments more closely concerned. our modest posture were to be questioned, the meeting might be reminded that we are obliged to give precedence to the claims of governments with which we have closer ties.
If
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