Office of the Historian

255. Memorandum From Marshall Wright of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Washington, March 26, 1971.

SUBJECT

  • Replacement for Paul Hoffman at the UNDP

The President has chosen Rudy Peterson and Tom Killefer in that order. So far as I am aware, Secretary Rogers is not aware of the President’s decision. Rogers has shown considerable interest in this matter. I suggest you inform him without delay of the President’s choices.

We also need to find out if Peterson or Killefer will take the job. There is great doubt that Peterson will, and probably none unless the approach is a high level one. Therefore, Peter Flanigan suggests that you have Peterson in and that the two of you offer him the job on behalf of the President.

An alternative would be to have either Secretary Rogers or George Bush do so, or to have Peter make the offer alone.

In any event, Peterson should be approached without delay, and Killefer in turn if Peterson turns it down.

Unless you are personally interested in this, which I doubt, I suggest you ask Secretary Rogers to do this job.

Recommendation:

1.
That you inform Rogers that the President wants Rudy Peterson or Tom Killefer as Hoffman’s successor at the UNDP.
2.
That you ask Rogers to find out if either will accept the nomination.
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 300, Agency Files, USUN, Vol. VI. Secret. Sent for action. An attached March 27 memorandum from Haig to Kissinger contains notes that indicate that Kissinger agreed to call Rogers and Flanigan, which was done by April 1.↩