by Stephen Kendal

Created on: November 09, 2010   Last Updated: November 11, 2010

It is not widely known that the final stages of the Vietnam war were resolved in Canberra at the time when Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was in power at the time of the world famous dismissal case of his government by the then Governor General of Australia Sir John Kerr in the mid-seventies.

I luckily was invited as an amateur but keen Aussie diplomat to take part in the formal discussions at a lead moment in the principal hall way of what is now referred to by Australians as old Parliament House. Old Parliament house is situated in the centre most position of the federal capital area dedicated to important public buildings in Canberra which is the capital city of Australia.

The old Parliament House has since been replaced by a much more modern and internationally recognised design not far from the old parliament meeting place. But most people around the world and here in Australia are not aware of what was done so well here to fix the conflict.

The invitation was a mature opportunity for a then youngster of politics because in the 1960s and seventies because I believed strongly in peace in South East Asia particularly in the very troubled country of Vietnam. The Governor General (The President of Australia) led the discussion process using the very latest means of telecommunications. He did a great job. He had excellent chair skills having spent much of his life as a barrister and highly placed judge.

The Prime Minister began after the Governor Generals lead and a committee of voices of the Australians including myself began to take part, together with major politicians from the then USSR (Brezhnev speaking mostly on behalf of that vantage point), and the principal authorities of then USA.

It was agreed the conflict must end. None of the parties expressed hate or gave prejudicial ideas about the other parties but it was a major point of common ground that too many had perished and that for justice and conscience sake the world should pause this war as it could not lead further to a result that could be a continued source of overwhelming negativity in international relations and the leadership of mankind.

The next topic was a practical one how soon each of the opposing forces should seek no further the destruction of each other and the communities in Vietnam. I was very proud that this series of discussions had become one for the world to fix in Canberra. This for a young progressive country is of course a dream.

Prime Minister Whitlam asked me to suggest a date for the withdrawal of the US military to be followed by the movement of the North Vietnamese military and top brass into Saigon. I suggested that to be constructive rather than an ideal day to help all concerned this should happen sooner than later.

The US and Brezhnev signed off and the process of withdrawal soon followed.

Despite the agreements though panic still apparent which can be seen in the historical footage of the end of the war.

Far worse would have followed without the planning and what was achieved as a result of the decisions was a big lesson for me that implementation counted so much and not just the ideals of great policy to help a situation.

I also hope that a suitable plaque, memory stone or statue of the Prime Minster and Governor General who should be recognised for helping sort what was a very tough and too extended conflict and be erected for the sake of historical record and leadership recognition of the event.

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