Anniversary of Paris Peace Accords Celebrated in French City

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang speaks at the meeting. Photo: VNA

The Vietnamese Embassy in France in coordination with Verrières-le-Buisson city on the outskirts of Paris organised an event on January 14 to celebrate the signing of the Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam (Paris Peace Accords) 50 years ago (January 27, 1973), VNA reported.

Speaking at the function, Mayor François Guy Trébulle affirmed that despite its geographical distance, Verrières-le-Buisson has always been a part of the history of Vietnam’s struggle for peace and independence.

The signing was a milestone in Vietnam’s history, and also an important event for Verrières-le-Buisson, not only today, but also in the future…because it shows peace is a good thing worth sacrificing everything to preserve, like honour and justice, he affirmed.

Participants view documents of French and international press agencies featuring the Paris Accords. Photo: VNA

In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang spoke highly of the role of the French city, which, he said, always shared values of peace and solidarity with the Southeast Asian nation.

He also thanks the municipal administration of Verrieres-le-Buisson city, Historical Association, the owner of House No. 49 for enthusiastically cooperating with the Embassy of Vietnam in France to organise the anniversary event. This important anniversary coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and France.

The event is not only to express gratitude to the feelings of the people of Verrières-le-Buisson in particular and the French people in general for Vietnam, but also to honour peace and peace-loving people.

House No. 49 (now No. 17) provided accommodations between 1968 and 1973 for the delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam, led by Foreign Minister Nguyen Thi Binh, who then became Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

On this occasion, an exhibition introducing documents of French and international press agencies was opened by the city’s Historical Association and displayed for a week in the large hall of the City Hall, helping viewers see the historical moments of the Paris Accords negotiations and signing ceremony in 1973.

French participants at the event expressed their sentiments towards Vietnam, saying the country shined in the international arena with its victory during the past struggle for peace.

Ambassador Dinh Toan Thang and the delegation also visited the house No. 49 located in Cambaceres Street in Paris suburb, which accommodated officials from the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam during negotiations for the signing of the Paris Accords.

Although there are a few changes compared to the past and belonged to the new owner, a plaque was embedded in the wall of the house in 2013 bearing the words “This is the residence from 1968-1973 of the Revolutionary Government Delegation. The provisional Republic of South Vietnam participating in the negotiation and signing of the Paris Accords on January 27, 1973”.

The ambassador and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and agencies in France; Michel Strachinescu, the driver of Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh were touched and proud to review the memories of the delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam during his stay at the building as well as the difficult and complicated negotiations.

House No. 49 located in Cambaceres Street in Paris suburb, which accommodated officials from the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam during negotiations for the signing of the Paris Accords to end the Vietnam War, has become a historical relic site.

The house where the delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam stayed from 1968-1973. Photo: VNA

The difficult and complicated Paris negotiations lasted for nearly five years. The agreement was initialed by Special Advisor Le Duc Tho of the delegation of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and US Advisor Henry Kissinger on January 22, 1973.

The Paris Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam was signed on January 27, 1973 by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam, and the US, after 201 open sessions, 45 high-level private talks, 24 secret meetings, 500 press conferences, 1,000 interviews and hundreds of get-togethers in support of Vietnam.

The agreement put an end to the longest and most difficult struggle in the history of Vietnam’s diplomacy.

Hannah Nguyen

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