Letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations Expressing Confidence in Ambassador Goldberg and Emphasizing U.S. Willingness To Negotiate on Viet-Nam
Dear Mr. Secretary-General:
I want you to know from me directly of the very great personal confidence which I place in Ambassador Goldberg. His appointment as Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations-and his acceptance of this responsibility in the circumstances--is, I hope, strong evidence that this Government places the very highest importance on the work of the United Nations and will continue to give it our utmost support.
I have instructed Ambassador Goldberg especially to maintain close contact with you on the situation in Viet-Nam. Your efforts in the past to find some way to remove that dispute from the battlefield to the negotiating table are much appreciated and highly valued by my Government. I trust they will be continued.
Meanwhile, as I stated publicly last April, the Government of the United States is prepared to enter into negotiations for peaceful settlement without conditions. That remains our policy.
And as I stated in San Francisco last month, we hope that the Members of the United Nations, individually and collectively, will use their influence to bring to the negotiating table all governments involved in an attempt to halt all aggression and evolve a peaceful solution. I continue to hope that the United Nations can, in fact, be effective in this regard.
I hope that you will communicate to us, through Ambassador Goldberg, any helpful suggestions that may occur to you that can strengthen our common search for the road to peace in Southeast Asia.
Sincerely,
LYNDON B. JOHNSON
[His Excellency U Thant, Secretary-General of the United Nations, United Nations, New York]
Note: Secretary General Thant's reply to the President, released on July 29, follows:
Dear Mr. President:
It was my great pleasure yesterday afternoon to receive Ambassador Goldberg and welcome him to the United Nations, and at the same time to have from his hand the letter which you addressed to me, for which I thank you most warmly.
Your letter gives me much satisfaction and encouragement, not only as evidence of the very great personal confidence which you have in Ambassador Goldberg, but also as reassurance that your Government attaches highest importance to the work of the United Nations and will continue to give the United Nations its utmost support.
It is particularly gratifying to know that you have instructed Ambassador Goldberg especially to maintain close contact with me on the situation in Vietnam. For my part, of course, I will keep closely in touch with him on all important issues relating to international peace. Knowing the very great importance which I attach in the present circumstances to the question of Vietnam, you may rest assured that I look forward to continuous mutual consultation on this issue.
In this connection, Mr. President, please allow me to thank you for your kind words about my efforts in the past to find some way to remove the dispute over Vietnam from the battlefield to the negotiating table. I am heartened by your wish that my efforts should be continued, and I gladly assure you of my determination to pursue them by all the means at my disposal, since I believe most strongly that concerted efforts should be made to put an early end to all further hostile military activities.
I shall, of course, be pleased to communicate to you through Ambassador Goldberg, in accordance with your wish, any further suggestions which I would consider helpful in bringing peace to Southeast Asia.
Yours sincerely,
U THANT
[The President, The White House, Washington, D.C.]
Lyndon B. Johnson, Letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations Expressing Confidence in Ambassador Goldberg and Emphasizing U.S. Willingness To Negotiate on Viet-Nam Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/241352