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Modern Victory. For the time being, the U.S. team in Paris can expect continued stonewalling from its South Vietnamese allies, who are stubbornly engaged in what looks to impatient outsiders like puerile bickering over seating arrangements and furniture design. Nonetheless, the Saigon regime has an immensely important point to make in all the wrangling: that it should not recognize the Viet Cong as an equal, which for the South Vietnamese is the crux of the talks. Unremitting delay is also likely to be the Communists' tactic while they attempt to get the measure of their opponents. Indeed, Hanoi won a modest diplomatic victory last week when neutral Sweden announced that it would recognize the North Vietnamese regime. It was the first Western nation to do so—though Britain maintains a consulate in Hanoi.
There were other reasons behind Hanoi's determination to wait and see. Nixon has in fact given nothing away by naming Lodge. The President-elect, who has never concealed his determination to take personal charge of U.S. foreign policy, will serve, in effect, as his own chief bargainer. Nixon is fully cognizant that his No. 1 priority is Viet Nam. Key policies, both at home and abroad, depend upon a speedy settlement of the divisive war that has already claimed 30,644 American lives and drains $30 billion from the U.S. Treasury each year. Like Lyndon Johnson before him, Nixon will draft his instructions to his spokesman in Paris in minute detail. Like Harriman, Lodge will act strictly in response to his orders from the top.