Madame Binh - Vietnamese Communist Minister at the negotiating table

Swedish writer Sara Lidman wrote about Madame Nguyen Thi Binh in her book: “In the Heart of the World”.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam Nguyen Thi Binh signed the Paris Agreement on Vietnam on January 27, 1973, at the International Conference Center in Paris (France). Photo: Van Luong/VNA

50 years have passed, but the image of Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam and Head of the Negotiation Delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government, is still in the memory of those who love Vietnam and support world peace.

Viet Cong shocked the world

On the morning of November 5, 1968, a series of French newspapers carried big headlines: "Viet Cong arrives in Paris", "Viet Cong wins", "Madame Binh shocks Paris and the world", "The miraculous landing of Viet Cong"... The photo of a Vietnamese woman wearing a dark pink ao dai, a gray coat with a black scarf with floral dots standing among a forest of cameras and a sea of ​​people surrounding her as soon as she got off the plane was placed on the front page.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, Head of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, with her polite demeanor, friendly, gentle and confident attitude, left a strong impression on those who met her and the press at that time. They turned to each other and said: "The Viet Cong are so civilized", "they are not people from the jungle"...

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh is the granddaughter of the patriot Phan Chau Trinh, graduated from high school, is good at foreign languages, and has a long career in politics and activities in Saigon. Perhaps these are the reasons why Uncle Ho chose her to participate in the negotiations.

After nearly five years of negotiations, “The Vietnamese Communist Queen” Nguyen Thi Binh has won the admiration and respect of politicians, international journalists, even Americans. Chairing many press conferences, including one with 400 journalists from over 100 countries, those who have met her have a common feeling: A confident, gentle, and soft-spoken person, but also extremely steadfast and steadfast. Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, with her advantage of good foreign language skills and her intelligence, sharpness, and sharpness, along with the gentleness, gentleness, and flexibility of a Vietnamese woman, has convinced even the most difficult journalists.

Many Western journalists have asked her sarcastic questions, but she has always responded flexibly. Once, a journalist asked: "Are you in the Communist Party?" She quickly replied: "I belong to the Patriotic Party." "Is there a Northern army in the South?" She replied: "The Vietnamese people are one, the Vietnamese people in the North as well as in the South have the duty to fight against the invaders." The journalist asked again: "Where is the liberated zone?" Mrs. Binh immediately replied: "Wherever the US bombs and shells, that is our liberated zone. Otherwise, why would the US have to bomb?"

During the negotiation process, she always kept in mind: "They have the right to ask, I have the right to answer. But how to answer so that they are convinced and understand better the just fight of my people, that is the important thing."

Later, she also said once: "If you are a woman who knows how to behave tactfully, people will be more likely to have feelings for you and will listen to what you want to say about your stance."

Recalling the moment she was one of the four signatories of the Paris Agreement, she once wrote: “When I signed the Victory Agreement, thinking of my fallen compatriots and comrades - those who will no longer be able to know about this important event, my eyes suddenly became moist. In my life, this is a great honor to represent the people and revolutionary soldiers to fight directly against the invading enemy right in Paris, to sign the Victory Agreement after 18 years of the whole country waging a just war full of sacrifices and hardships... That is probably the most profound memory in my diplomatic life.”

Brave woman of the nation

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, former member of the Party Central Committee, former Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA

At the solemn 50th anniversary of the Paris Agreement that took place a few days ago in Hanoi, there was a moment that moved the entire hall. When Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh was introduced, the entire hall stood up and applauded continuously, many people were moved to tears when 50 years after the signing of the Agreement, they were still able to meet the brave woman of the Vietnamese people.

At the age of 96, she is no longer agile, her eyes are dim, but her mind is still extremely sharp. She shared: “At the end of 1968, I was instructed by the Party to participate in the negotiations in Paris. I am very grateful to the leaders for their trust and entrusting me with such a great responsibility. For nearly 5 years, I participated in the negotiations in Paris. I completed my mission, being one of the four people who signed the Paris Agreement.”

The head of the delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam participating in the negotiations and signing of the Paris Agreement commented: "The Paris Agreement was a decisive victory leading to the liberation of the South and the unification of the country, the result of nearly 20 years of fierce and arduous war of the entire nation." She also expressed gratitude to the soldiers and compatriots who sacrificed their lives for the cause of fighting against the US and saving the country.

According to former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh, the Paris Agreement is a victory of Vietnam's military, political and diplomatic struggle, and at the same time a victory of the world movement supporting and uniting with Vietnam.

Affirming that the decisive factor for the victory of the Paris Agreement was the skillful leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the Party and State leaders, Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh mentioned the solidarity and extremely strong support of the world, bringing more strength to Vietnam on the battlefield as well as at the negotiating table.

According to former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh, if the art of “fighting while negotiating” has turned military victories into diplomatic victories at the negotiating table, then the art of gaining international support for our people’s struggle is the art of combining the strength of the times. This combination is not a slogan but a reality. “The international movement supporting Vietnam is the strength that creates conditions for us to attack the enemy at the negotiating table. Our people’s steadfast struggle for independence and freedom has moved the sentiments and conscience of those who love peace and justice in the world.”

Even in the United States, at first the American people were not interested, and even supported the war. But later, they realized the unjust nature of the war launched by the Washington authorities and as the United States became more and more bogged down in this war, the anti-war movement grew stronger. It was the American people who contributed to making people of other countries understand and support the Vietnam war.

It was also Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh - the Vietnamese woman wearing the traditional ao dai during the days of negotiations in Paris - who was an important factor in connecting international solidarity and promoting people-to-people diplomacy at that time.

Ms. Socorro Gomes Coelho, former President of the World Peace Council, recalled her years of accompanying the anti-war movement: “Madame Binh was a name I often heard during that time, when we, young students, participated in demonstrations demanding an end to the war in Vietnam. Ms. Binh was then considered one of our symbols of women. Small and elegant in the traditional Vietnamese ao dai, but very strong when participating in press conferences.”

“Oh, Madame Binh, a wonderful Vietnamese woman, a brave person. In our time, she was one of the shining examples we wanted to learn from. We were excited to read any information related to Mrs. Binh. Mrs. Binh is the inspiration for us to want to learn more about Vietnam, to know about the unjust war here and from there join the anti-war movement, supporting the just fight against the invaders in Vietnam”, shared Ms. Corazon Valdez Fabros, in charge of the peace and security sector of the Asia-Europe People's Forum, a member of the World Peace Council.

“For me, the Paris negotiations were like a movie with important milestones of the struggle, the intense battle of wits to reach victory,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh. In that movie, she had many thrilling and emotional stories, encountered many dangers, hardships, and even moments of holding back her longing for her own family, to become one of the people who signed the Paris Agreement, the only woman to sign that historic document - Madame Nguyen Thi Binh.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/madame-binh-bo-truong-viet-cong-tren-ban-dam-phan-197555.html