Sir, there is a view that we deserve more favorable terms than what was agreed at the 1954 Geneva Conference. Can you elaborate on this?
It is true that there are views that Vietnam could have achieved more favorable terms at the 1954 Geneva Conference. They believed that with the earth-shaking victory at Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam could move towards complete liberation of the country. However, we need to look at the broader international context at that time to see that from Dien Bien Phu to Geneva was our important victory.
After the Dien Bien Phu victory, the balance of power between us and France, as well as between Vietnam's allies and France's allies, was not favorable to Vietnam. Specifically, on the Indochina battlefield, the French army still had more than 300,000 troops, and their forces were still many times stronger than ours. Second, the possibility of the US intervening in Indochina was still open. Third, Vietnam's allies, including the Soviet Union and China, came to the negotiating table in Geneva with their own interests.
The countries participating in the Geneva Conference all wanted to end the conflict in the Indochina peninsula and achieve their own goals. If we do not accept that agreement, what will happen? The war may continue, the conflict will be prolonged and we will not have peace. The allies will not support us. After all, at the Geneva Conference in 1954, we did not have a complete victory, but we did have a partial victory in the cause of liberating and unifying the country.
There are comments that big countries took advantage of Geneva to divide Vietnam. What is your opinion, how has Vietnam overcome the calculations of big countries?
In any world order, major powers play an important role. From the Quadrilateral Conference in January 1954 in Berlin (Germany), the UK, France, the US and the Soviet Union agreed to convene an international conference to resolve the Indochina issue.
Later, at the invitation of the Soviet Union, China also attended the Conference, despite initial opposition from the United States. It can be said that the new international trend at that time was one of détente for development, so the Soviet Union and the United States both wanted to end the conflicts in Germany, Korea and Indochina. That détente had a great impact on the world situation, and small countries were not outside this order.
Coming to the Geneva Conference, each country had its own interests. The Soviet Union's goal was balance and peaceful coexistence with the United States. Moreover, the Soviet Union's strategic area was Europe, so the Soviet Union wanted the support of France to create a strategic balance in Europe in its relationship with the United States. France also wanted to leave the war in Indochina without being humiliated when the French people were fed up with the losses there. Meanwhile, the United States wanted to replace France in Indochina.
Thus, it can be seen that the interests of small countries are dominated by big countries, including Vietnam. However, Vietnam has been clever in minimizing the calculations of big countries. Right from the first day of participating in the Geneva Conference, the Vietnamese diplomatic delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Van Dong put forward an 8-point stance. In which we clearly stated and were steadfast in our goal, wishing all countries to recognize Vietnam's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
And finally, the countries attending the Geneva Conference all pledged to respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Vietnam. This is a very important legal basis for Vietnam's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and for the future unification of Vietnam. The results of the Geneva Conference were an important victory for Vietnam as well as for our young diplomacy. President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: "The Geneva Conference has ended. Our diplomacy has achieved a great victory!"
National interests are the highest goal.
The international and regional situation has changed a lot after 60 years, the country is facing many traditional and non-traditional security issues, especially the situation of encroachment and sovereignty disputes in the East Sea is having complicated developments. In your opinion, what lessons can we apply from the Geneva Conference to current practice?
The first lesson in diplomatic struggle is President Ho Chi Minh's viewpoint "With the unchangeable, respond to all changes", the goal of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity is an unchangeable factor in all negotiations and diplomatic struggles.
We must not be ambiguous about the strategic goals and interests of major countries. Even countries that share the same ideology have their own interests. Therefore, we must pay attention, study, and consider what strategies major countries have in order to have appropriate policies and countermeasures.
President Ho Chi Minh said, “Strength is like a bell, diplomacy is like the sound of a bell. The bigger the bell, the louder the sound.” Therefore, what we always need to do is to strengthen the country’s strength, create a solid foundation for foreign affairs, protect national sovereignty, and protect international peace and security.
The victory of the Geneva Conference in 1954 transformed Vietnam from a country that had no name on the world map into a shining symbol of the will to fight for national independence. In the current context, regarding the East Sea issue, there is a reality that the world's people still have limited understanding of the East Sea issue. Therefore, Vietnamese diplomacy must make the world understand Vietnam's sovereignty and justice in the East Sea.
What results from the Geneva Conference show the provisions demonstrating Vietnam's sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, sir?
We know that before the Geneva Conference, on September 7, 1951, at the conference with the participation of 51 countries held in San Francisco (USA), Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tran Van Huu of the Bao Dai Government solemnly declared that the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos are Vietnamese territory: "We confirm our long-standing sovereignty over the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos". This confirmation did not cause any reaction or claim to this declaration of the State of Vietnam.
The Geneva Conference was an international conference with the participation of major countries. One of the 13 points in the Final Declaration of the 1954 Geneva Conference on the issue of restoring peace in Indochina stated: “In their relations with Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, the countries participating in the Geneva Conference respect the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.” As a country participating in the 1954 Geneva Conference, China also pledged to respect Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty, which also re-acknowledged Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos.
Thank you!
(Source:Tien Phong Newspaper)