The 1954 Geneva Agreement: A historical milestone of Vietnamese diplomacy

70 years ago, the Geneva Agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam was signed, opening a new page in the cause of our people’s struggle for national liberation and national reunification.

After 70 years, the lessons from negotiating, signing and implementing the Geneva Agreement are still valuable for the work of building and developing the country and protecting the Fatherland today.

The significance and historical significance of the Geneva Agreement

At the end of 1953, facing strong changes in the battlefield situation in Indochina, our Party and President Ho Chi Minh advocated opening a struggle on the diplomatic front, in coordination with the strategic Dong Xuan offensive. 1953-1954 to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam and throughout Indochina.

In an interview with a Swedish journalist on November 26, 1953, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: “If the French Government has learned the lesson of the war in recent years, it wants to come to an armistice in Vietnam. Vietnam by negotiating and resolving the Vietnamese problem in a peaceful way, the People and Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam are ready to accept that wish” and “the basis of the ceasefire in Vietnam is the Government France honestly respects the true independence of Vietnam” (National Politics-Truth Publishing House, 2011, Ho Chi Minh Complete Works, Volume 8, page 340).

On May 8, 1954, exactly one day after the victory of Dien Bien Phu, which “resounded on five continents and shook the earth,” the Geneva Conference began discussing the issue of restoring peace in Indochina. After 75 days of negotiations, In a tense and complicated negotiation with 7 plenary sessions and 24 delegation-level meetings, the Geneva Agreement was signed on July 21, 1954.

Along with the Declaration on the issue of restoring peace in Indochina and the Armistice Agreement in Indochina, the Vietnam Armistice Agreement affirmed the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Vietnam. South, stipulating that foreign troops must withdraw from Indochina, determining that military boundaries are only temporary and that each Indochina country will hold free general elections to unify the country…

In “Call after the successful Geneva Conference” on July 22, 1954, President Ho Chi Minh assessed: “The Geneva Conference has ended. Our diplomacy has won a great victory” (National Politics-Truth Publishing House, 2011, Ho Chi Minh Complete Works, Volume 9, page 1). Indeed, if in the 1946 Preliminary Agreement, France only recognized Vietnam as a free country within the French Union, then with the Geneva Agreement, for the first time in our nation’s history, national rights Vietnam’s fundamental principles of independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity have been officially affirmed in an international treaty and recognized by the countries attending the Geneva Conference. This is a very important political and legal basis for our people to fight on the political and diplomatic fronts in the work of liberating the South and reunifying the country in the future.

Along with the Dien Bien Phu victory, the signing of the Geneva Accords successfully ended our people’s resistance war against the French colonialists as well as completely ending the domination of the old colonialism that lasted nearly 100 years. in Viet Nam. With that meaning, the Agreement opened a new strategic period of the Vietnamese revolution, which is to build socialism in the North, and at the same time carry out the People’s Democratic National Revolution in the South to achieve reality. fully realize the goal of national independence and national unification.

The victory at the Geneva Conference originated from the correct revolutionary path and the wise leadership and direction of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh; From the burning desire for peace, patriotism and the bravery and wisdom of the Vietnamese people have been forged through thousands of years of building and defending the country. The Geneva Agreement is the crystallization of the achievements of the stubborn and persistent struggle of our army and people, from the victory of the Viet Bac in the Fall-Winter of 1947 to the Fall-Winter Border Campaign of 1950 and the strategic Winter-Spring offensive of 1953-1954, culminating in High is the victory of Dien Bien Phu.

Along with the 1946 Preliminary Agreement and the 1973 Paris Agreement, the 1954 Geneva Agreement is a historical milestone of Vietnam’s revolutionary diplomacy, bearing the mark of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, style and diplomatic art.

The Geneva Conference trained leaders who were also excellent diplomats in the Ho Chi Minh era such as comrades Pham Van Dong, Ta Quang Buu, Ha Van Lau and many outstanding diplomats. other.

Looking back at the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Agreement, we are infinitely grateful to President Ho Chi Minh and the generations of revolutionary predecessors as well as the enormous sacrifices of our army and people in the resistance war against colonialism. French people.

We always remember the pure solidarity and support and assistance of the people of Laos, Cambodia, socialist countries and peace-loving people in the world, including the French people, for Vietnam during the anti-colonial and national resistance war. Therefore, the Geneva Agreement is not only a victory for Vietnam, but also a common victory for the three Indochina countries and also a victory for oppressed peoples in the struggle for national liberation. Along with the Dien Bien Phu victory, the Geneva Accords strongly encouraged the movement to fight for peace and national independence, opening the way for the collapse of old colonialism around the world. From 1954-1964, 17 of France’s 22 colonies gained independence; In 1960 alone, 17 countries in Africa declared independence.

Long-lasting lessons for Vietnamese diplomacy imbued with the identity of “Vietnamese bamboo”

Negotiation, signing and implementation of the Geneva Agreement is a valuable handbook on the Vietnamese school of foreign affairs and diplomacy with many valuable lessons on principles, methods and art of diplomacy, imbued with its own originality. Vietnamese diplomacy in the Ho Chi Minh era.

First of all, it is a lesson about steadfast independence and autonomy based on national interests. The process of negotiating and signing the Geneva Agreement gives us a deeper understanding of the value of the principle of independence and autonomy in international affairs. Because every country is for its own benefit, only steadfast independence and self-reliance can help us maintain the initiative and ensure the highest national interests.

Second, the lesson of combining national strength with the strength of the times, linking national solidarity with international solidarity to create “an invincible strength.” Besides maximizing the strength of the flag cause and great national unity, our Party has had the correct policy of constantly expanding international solidarity, first of all solidarity with Laos, Cambodia, socialist countries, international friends and People love peace in the world.

Third, the lesson of being steadfast in goals and principles, but being mobile and flexible in strategy according to the motto “unchangeable, adaptable to all changes.”

Just as President Ho Chi Minh affirmed, “Our unchangeable goal is still peace, unity, independence, and democracy.

Our principles must be firm, our strategies must be flexible” (National Political Publishing House – Truth, 2011, Ho Chi Minh Complete Works, Volume 8, page 555), in negotiation and implementation. The Geneva Agreement, the “immutable” root is Vietnam’s independence, unity and territorial integrity. That was the red thread that ran through the 1973 Paris Agreement later.

“Variable” means that while the final goal cannot be fully realized, it is possible to be flexible and change in strategy to gradually move towards achieving the unchangeable goal. It is a method and art of diplomacy that Ho Chi Minh inherited, creatively applied and developed in our country’s innovation and international integration; At the same time, expressing the identity of “Vietnamese bamboo” of Vietnam’s revolutionary diplomacy, “solid roots,” “strong trunk,” “flexible branches.”

Fourth, the lesson of attaching importance to research, assessment and forecasting of the situation, “knowing yourself,” “knowing people,” “knowing the time,” “knowing the situation” from which to “know how to advance,” “know how to retreat, “”know the hardness,” “know the softness.” This is a profound lesson, especially in the context where the world is currently experiencing major, complex and unpredictable changes, and it is even more necessary to promote research and development. Forecasting the world situation, especially the movements of major trends, adjusting the strategies and policies of partners, on that basis, proactively have appropriate policies for each partner and each issue.

Fifth, lessons on using dialogue and peaceful negotiations to resolve disagreements and conflicts in international relations. Along with the decision to launch the strategic Winter-Spring offensive of 1953-1954, our Party advocated using peaceful negotiations to end the war, thereby opening the way to a negotiation to end the war. paintings in Indochina.

Although there may be different perspectives, it cannot be denied that the Geneva Conference left an era-defining lesson on resolving international disagreements and conflicts by peaceful means, especially in the international context. Currently, many complex conflicts are taking place.

Sixth, the overarching lesson is the Party’s unified and absolute leadership over the revolutionary cause of our People in general and the diplomatic front in particular. The Party has set out correct revolutionary policies, guidelines and strategies, opened a diplomatic front to proactively attack, and closely coordinated and unified with political and military fronts to create total strength. appropriate and ensure the highest national interests.

The above outstanding lessons and many other valuable lessons from the Geneva Agreement have been inherited, creatively applied and developed by our Party throughout the process of negotiating, signing and implementing the 1973 Paris Agreement as well as in implementing current foreign affairs work.

During nearly 40 years of Doi Moi, we have always consistently implemented a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralization; proactively and actively integrate comprehensively and deeply into the world; a friend, a trusted partner and an active, responsible member of the international community.

Implementing this correct foreign policy, up to now our country has established diplomatic relations with 193 United Nations member countries, and has strategic partnerships and comprehensive strategic partnerships with 5 member countries. Standing member of the United Nations Security Council, has a network of strategic partnerships and comprehensive partnerships with 30 countries. Vietnam is an active and responsible member of more than 70 major regional and international organizations and forums such as the United Nations, ASEAN, WTO, APEC, ASEM…; has participated in and is negotiating 19 free trade agreements, creating an open network of economic links with about 60 economies around the world.

Promoting the lessons of the Geneva Accords and the glorious tradition of Vietnam’s revolutionary diplomacy, the entire diplomatic sector under the Party’s leadership is determined to build a strong, comprehensive, modern, and sustainable Vietnamese diplomacy. make a worthy contribution to the successful implementation of the Party’s 13th National Congress foreign policy for the goal of wealthy people, strong country, democracy, fairness and civilization./.