519. Notes of Meeting1
THOSE ATTENDING THE MEETING WERE
- The President
- Secretary Rusk
- Secretary Clifford
- General Wheeler
- CIA Director Helms
- Walt Rostow
- George Christian
- Tom Johnson
[Omitted here is discussion of other subjects.]
Secretary Rusk: … We recommend that the USA now recognize Peru, if you approve.
The President: What does that do?
Secretary Rusk: Colonels have it in Brazil and Argentina.
The President: What if we didn’t recognize Peru?
Secretary Rusk: It would complicate ourselves. But we have recognized 50 countries where coup d’etats have taken place.
Secretary Rusk: We are denied AID for Peru.
CIA Director Helms: Sugar quota would fall off once the Hickenlooper Amendment takes over.
Secretary Rusk: We don’t get anywhere by not recognizing them. This is the 62nd coup I’ve lived through since I’ve been Secretary of State and Dick Helms did not cause a one of them—contrary to popular belief.
We can’t impose our will over other countries. They will conduct elections in Peru.
We went two years without a coup in Latin America.2
[Omitted here is discussion of other subjects.]
- Source: Johnson Library, Tom Johnson Meeting Notes. No classification marking. Drafted by Tom Johnson. The meeting was held during lunch.↩
- At the end of his notes, Tom Johnson recorded the President’s decision on Peru as follows: “Recognize him [Velasco] as soon as you want to.” Rostow later told Benjamin Read that the President had given Rusk a “reluctant go-ahead to recognize, if that’s what he [Rusk] wants to do.” (Note from Bromley K. Smith to Lois Nivens, October 22; ibid., National Security File, Rostow Files, Meetings with the President, January– December 1968 [1])↩