TheFinalDeclarationsoftheGenevaConferenceJuly21,1954

1.TheConferencetakesnoteoftheAgreementsendinghostilitiesin
Cambodia,Laos,andVietNamandorganizinginternationalcontrolandthe
supervisionoftheexecutionoftheprovisionsoftheseagreements.
2.TheConferenceexpressessatisfactionattheendingofhostilitiesin
Cambodia,Laos,andVietNamtheConferenceexpressesitsconvictionthat
theexecutionoftheprovisionssetoutinthepresentDeclarationandinthe
AgreementsonthecessationofhostilitieswillpermitCambodia,Laosand
VietNamhenceforthtoplaytheirpart,infullindependenceand
sovereignty,inthepeacefulcommunityofnations.
3.TheConferencetakesnoteofthedeclarationsmadebytheGovernments
ofCambodiaandofLaosoftheirintentiontoadoptmeasurespermittingall
citizenstotaketheirplaceinthenationalcommunity,inparticularby
participatinginthenextgeneralelections,which,inconformitywiththe
constitutionofeachofthesecountries,shalltakeplaceinthecourseofthe
year1955,bysecretballotandinconditionsofrespectforfundamental
freedoms.
4.TheConferencetakesnoteoftheclausesintheAgreementonthe
cessationofhostilitiesinVietNamprohibitingtheintroductionintoVietnam
offoreigntroopsandmilitarypersonnelaswellasallkindsofarmsand
munitions.TheConferencealsotakesnoteofthedeclarationsmadebythe
GovernmentsofCambodiaandLaosoftheirresolutionnottorequest
foreignaid,whetherinwarmaterial,inpersonnelorininstructorsexcept
forthepurposeoftheeffectivedefenceoftheirterritoryand,inthecaseof
Laos,totheextentdefinedbytheAgreementsonthecessationofhostilities
inLaos.
5.TheConferencetakesnoteoftheclausesintheAgreementonthe
cessationofhostilitiesinVietnamtotheeffectthatnomilitarybaseunder
thecontrolofaforeignStatemaybeestablishedintheregroupingzonesof
thetwoparties,thelatterhavingtheobligationtoseethatthezones
allottedtothemshallnotconstitutepartofanymilitaryallianceandshall
notbeutilizedfortheresumptionofhostilitiesorintheserviceofan
aggressivepolicy.TheConferencealsotakesnoteofthedeclarationsofthe
GovernmentsofCambodiaandLaostotheeffectthattheywillnotjoinin
anyagreementwithotherStatesifthisagreementincludestheobligationto
participateinamilitaryalliancenotinconformitywiththeprinciplesofthe
CharteroftheUnitedNationsor,inthecaseofLaos,withtheprinciplesof
theAgreementonthecessationofhostilitiesinLaosor,solongastheir
securityisnotthreatened,theobligationtoestablishbasesonCambodian
orLaotianterritoryforthemilitaryforcesofforeignpowers.
6.TheConferencerecognizesthattheessentialpurposeoftheAgreement
relatingtoVietnamistosettlemilitaryquestionswithaviewtoending
hostilitiesandthatthemilitarydemarcationlineisprovisionalandshouldnot
inanywaybeinterpretedasconstitutingapoliticalorterritorialboundary.
TheConferenceexpressesitsconvictionthattheexecutionoftheprovisions
setoutinthepresentDeclarationandintheAgreementonthecessationof
hostilitiescreatesthenecessarybasisfortheachievementinthenearfuture
ofapoliticalsettlementinVietNam.
7.TheConferencedeclaresthat,sofarasVietnamisconcerned,the
settlementofpoliticalproblems,effectedonthebasisofrespectfor
principlesofindependence,unityandterritorialintegrity,shallpermitthe
Vietnamesepeopletoenjoythefundamentalfreedoms,guaranteedby
democraticinstitutionsestablishedasaresultoffreegeneralelectionsby
secretballot.Inordertoensurethatsufficientprogressintherestorationof
peacehasbeenmadeandthatallthenecessaryconditionsobtainforfree
expressionofthenationalwill,generalelectionsshallbeheldinJuly1956,
underthesupervisionofaninternationalcommissioncomposedof
representativesoftheMemberStatesoftheInternationalSupervisory
Commission,referredtointheAgreementonthecessationofhostilities.
Consultationswillbeheldonthissubjectbetweenthecompetent
representativeauthoritiesofthetwozonesfrom20July,1955onwards.
8.TheprovisionsoftheAgreementsonthecessationofhostilitiesintended
toensuretheprotectionofindividualsandofpropertymustbemoststrictly
appliedandmust,inparticular,alloweveryoneinVietnamtodecidefreely
inwhichzonehewishestolive.
9.ThecompetentrepresentativeauthoritesoftheNorthernandSouthern
zonesofVietnam,aswellastheauthoritiesofLaosandCambodia,must
notpermitanyindividualorcollectivereprisalsagainstpersonswhohave
collaboratedinanywaywithoneofthepartiesduringthewar,oragainst
membersofsuchpersons'families.
10.TheConferencetakesnoteofthedeclarationoftheGovernmentofthe
FrenchRepublictotheeffectthatitisreadytowithdrawitstroopsfromthe
territoryofCambodia,LaosandVietNam,attherequestofthe
governmentsconcernedandwithinperiodswhichshallbefixedby
agreementbetweenthepartiesexceptinthecaseswhere,byagreement
betweenthetwoparties,acertainnumberofFrenchtroopsshallremainat
specifiedpointsandforaspecifiedtime.
11.TheConferencetakesnoteofthedeclarationoftheFrenchGovernment
totheeffectthatforthesettlementofalltheproblemsconnectedwiththe
reestablishmentandconsolidationofpeaceinCambodia,Laosand
VietNam,theFrenchGovernmentwillproceedfromtheprincipleofrespect
fortheindependenceandsovereignty,unityandterritorialintegrityof
Cambodia,LaosandVietnam.
12.IntheirrelationswithCambodia,LaosandVietnam,eachmemberof
theGenevaConferenceundertakestorespectthesovereignty,the
independence,theunityandtheterritorialintegrityoftheabovementioned
States,andtorefrainfromanyinterferenceintheirinternalaffairs.
13.ThemembersoftheConferenceagreetoconsultoneanotheronany
questionwhichmaybereferredtothembytheInternationalSupervisory
Commlssion,inordertostudysuchmeasuresasmayprovenecessaryto
ensurethattheAgreementsonthecessationofhostilitiesinCambodia,
LaosandVietnamarerespected.
SOURCE:Gravel(ed.),PentagonPapers,Vol.1,pp.279282.