173. Briefing Memorandum from the Deputy Legal Adviser (Salans) to the Acting Secretary of State (Johnson)

Salans provided under cover of a briefing memorandum a detailed proposal for a new international convention to deal broadly with the opium problem, which would supplement the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 that relied on voluntary cooperation.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SOC 11-5. No classification marking. Drafted by G. Jonathon Greenwald (L/NEA) and cleared by Schwartz and Rodger P. Davies.

174. Memorandum From Helmut Sonnenfeldt and Harold H. Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Sonnenfeldt and Saunders urged Kissinger to re-assert personal control over the international anti-narcotics effort because of the possibility of serious disruption of the U.S.-Turkish relationship.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 357, Subject Files, Narcotics II. Confidential. Sent for action. Kissinger approved the recommendation on July 14. Tab A was telegram 108993 to Ankara, July 9 (Ibid., Box 663, Country Files, Middle East, Turkey, Vol. II), Tab B was a letter from Johnson to Kennedy, June 29, scheduled to be printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Europe, 1969–1972, volume XXIX. Tab C was not attached.

175. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon

Rogers reported that Ambassador Handley met with Congressional leaders to discuss proposed legislation that would allow the President to cut off AID funds to any country that failed to cooperate fully on narcotics control.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, President’s Evening Reading: Lot 74 D 164. Secret.

176. Intelligence Note Prepared in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research

Intelligence note on the problem of drug abuse to be considered at a special UN meeting in Geneva.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-1973, SOC 11-5 ECOSOC. Confidential. Drafted by John J. Donovan (INR/SGR).

177. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon

Rogers reported that Ambassador Handley and other Department of State officials met with Congressman Vanik to discuss his proposed amendment to the Trade Bill that would give the President authority to impose a trade embargo on countries that permitted trafficking in poppy-derived drugs.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, President’s Evening Reading: Lot 74 D 164. Secret. Eliot signed for Rogers.

178. Memorandum of Conversation

Ambassador Handley and President Nixon discussed U.S.-Turkish relations, especially the Turkish Government’s opium control program.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 358, Subject Files, Narcotics III. Secret. Drafted by Saunders.

179. Memorandum From Harold H. Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Saunders suggested that a summary of conclusions reached at the Heroin Task Force meeting of August 17 should be distributed to ensure a uniform interpretation of the administration’s goals and policy.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 358, Subject Files, Narcotics III. Confidential. Sent for action. The memorandum was unsigned. There is no indication that Kissinger approved or disapproved the recommendations. Tab B was attached but not published.

180. Action Memorandum from the Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs (DePalma) and the Legal Adviser (Stevenson) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson)

The memorandum concludes that it would be more practical to work through existing international bodies and to amend the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs rather than to propose a new convention and establish a new UN agency for control of opium production and heroin trafficking.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SOC 11-5. Secret. Drafted by Stephen M. Boyd (L/NEA), cleared in IO, BNDD, S/NW, NEA/TUR, and L/T, and approved by Johnson on September 15.

181. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council Staff (Davis) to the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Eliot)

Davis reported that President Nixon approved the sale of 500,000 tons of PL-480 wheat to Turkey without linking it to an opium production control program.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 358, Subject Files, Narcotics III. Secret. A notation on the memorandum indicates Davis signed the original.

182. Intelligence Note Prepared in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research

An Intelligence Note entitled “United Nations: U.S. Initiatives on Narcotics Front Progressing Despite Minor Obstacles.”

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SOC 11-5. Confidential. Drafted by Donovan.

183. Memorandum From the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Johnson) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Johnson reported that the ECOSOC Council had approved a U.S. resolution calling for the establishment of a voluntary UN fund for drug abuse control.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SOC 11-5 ECOSOC. Unclassified. Tabs A and B were attached but not published. A copy was sent to Moynihan.

184. Telegram 47398 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Burma

The Department instructed the Embassy to underline the U.S. commitment to containing international narcotics trafficking through periodic conversations with the Burmese Government.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS BURMA. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by William F. Beachner (EA/TB); cleared in EA, in substance with BNDD, S/NM, and Defense; and approved by Wilson. Repeated to Bangkok, Phnom Phen, Saigon, Vientiane, Hong Kong, and CINCPAC.

185. Memorandum From Harold H. Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for Domestic Affairs (Krogh)

Saunders provided Krogh with an assessment of the new Turkish Government’s attitudes and capabilities on reducing the flow of illegal opium from Turkey. He also transmitted an account of progress on U.S. efforts to control opium production in Turkey.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 663, Country Files, Middle East, Turkey, Vol. II. Secret; Noforn. Sent for information. Concurred in by Downey. On March 12 Demirel resigned under pressure from military forces upset by Turkey’s political instability. Turkish President Sunay designated Nuhat Erim to form a new government.

186. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Assistant for Domestic Affairs (Krogh) to the President’s Assistant for Domestic Affairs (Ehrlichman)

Because of some Pentagon officials’ reluctance to confront the issue of drug use among servicemen in Vietnam, Krogh suggested the formation of a joint White House working group to deal with the problem.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 357, Subject Files, Narcotics II. Secret. Sent for action. There was no indication that Ehrlichman approved or disapproved of the recommendation. Tab A was not attached.

187. Intelligence Note Prepared in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research

Intelligence Note entitled: “United Nations: US initiative to strengthen Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.”

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SOC 11-5. Confidential. Drafted by Donovan.

188. Intelligence Note Prepared in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research

Intelligence Note entitled: “Turkey: Waiting for the New Government’s Opium Program.”

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS TUR. Secret; No Foreign Dissem. Drafted by Gene R. Preston (INR).

189. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to President Nixon

Haig provided details of a proposal by Secretary of the Treasury Connally to preemptively purchase the Turkish opium crop. Also included is the May 7 memorandum from which Haig derived his information.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 358, Subject Files, Narcotics III. Secret. Sent for information. On April 27 the President sent Kissinger a memorandum that read: “Moynihan’s idea of buying the entire Turkish opium crop is one that seems intriguing. I realize that there are problems here, but would you have a check made to see what, if anything, could be done. Connally seems to like the idea, provided it does not have other foreign policy implications which would mitigate against it.” (Ibid., Box 341, HAK/President Memoranda,1971)

190. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Helms to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Helms sent Kissinger information on how the CIA planned to distribute sensitive intelligence on narcotics in Southeast Asia.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 358, Subject Files, Narcotics IV. Secret; Sensitive. Copies were sent to Rogers, Laird, Mitchell, Moorer, Sullivan, Ingersoll, and Rossides. The attachment is Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Controlled Dissem Abroad; Background Use Only.

191. Summary of a Meeting

During the meeting, President Nixon emphasized to civilian and military members of his administration his concerns about narcotics addiction.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 358, Subject Files, Narcotics III. No classification marking. Appendix A, the list of participants, is taken from the President’s Daily Diary. (Ibid., White House Central Files)

192. Telegram 100799 from the Department of State to the Embassy in Turkey

The Department endorsed the idea of another meeting between Ambassador Handley and Turkish Prime Minister ERIM. The telegram also transmitted the text of a personal message to Erim from President Nixon.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS TUR. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Geoffrey Ogden (NEA/TUR), cleared by, Wellman, and NEA/TUR, in substance by Sisco, and approved by Davies. The account of Handley’s discussion with Erim is in telegram 3489 from Ankara, May 18, and is printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Europe, 1969–1972, Volume XXIX.

193. Memorandum for the President’s File from the President’s Deputy Assistant for Domestic Affairs (Krogh)

Krogh provided an account of a meeting among the President, senior Cabinet officers, and U.S. Ambassadors from relevant countries on international narcotics trafficking and the problems of heroin addiction.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, President’s Office Files, Box 85, Memoranda for the President. No classification marking. The meeting lasted from 10:10 to11:45 a.m.

194. Telegram 108468 From the Department of State to All Diplomatic Posts

Secretary of State Rogers alerted all posts to President Nixon’s comprehensive Congressional message on the drug problem, and to results of the June 14 meeting with the President.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SOC 11-5. Unclassified. Repeated to Rome for FODAG and Paris for NESCO. Drafted by Betty C. Gough (IO/HDC), cleared by Herz, Wellman, and Eliot, and approved by Rogers.

195. Memorandum From Samuel M. Hoskinson of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)

Hoskinson informed Kissinger of a disagreement between the Departments of State and Treasury over the President’s $50 million program for a Turkish opium buy-out.

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 358, Subject Files, Narcotics IV. Secret; Exdis. Sent for information. A copy was sent to Downey. Hoskinson did not initial the memorandum. Connally’s letter was not attached.

196. Telegram 110121 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Turkey

In a personal message to Ambassador Handley, Secretary of State Rogers provided instructions for a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister ERIM based on a meeting with the President.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS TUR. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Ogden; cleared by Davies, Sisco, Robert L. Pugh (NEA/TUR), and Richard Kennedy; cleared in substance with Ingersoll, Hardin, Williams, Wellman, and Connally; and approved by Rogers.

197. Telegram 4337 From the Embassy in Turkey to the Department of State

The Embassy reported in detail on a key meeting with Prime Minister ERIM on the opium issue. ERIM agreed to U.S. conditions on eradication, purchase, and anti-opium legislation in return for U.S. assistance to affected Turkish farmers.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS TUR. Secret; Priority; Exdis.

198. Telegram 113716 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Turkey

In a personal message for Ambassador Handley, Secretary of State Rogers instructed him to keep the pressure on Prime Minister ERIM. Rogers noted, however, that the United States was not prepared to provide compensation for assumed losses from illicit production.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS TUR. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Sisco; cleared by Ehrlichman, Mitchell, and Connally; and approved by Rogers.

199. Telegram 4439 From the Embassy in Turkey to the Department of State

Ambassador Handley reported to Secretary of State Rogers that a private conversation with Prime Minister ERIM had resulted in a realistic approach to opium control. He urged the Department to follow through immediately.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS TUR. Secret; Immediate; Exdis.

200. Telegram 4441 From the Embassy in Turkey to the Department of State

Ambassador Handley reported that a final deal on opium control had been negotiated with Prime Minister ERIM.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS TUR. Secret; Immediate; Exdis.

201. Telegram 116137 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Turkey

The Department laid out the exact terms of Ambassador Handley’s agreement with the Turkish Government over opium control in order to avoid any potential misunderstanding.

Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, INCO-DRUGS TUR. Secret; Immediate, Exdis. Drafted by Pugh; cleared by Davies, Sisco, Connally, and Saunders; cleared in draft with Williams and in substance with Ingersoll and Wellman; and approved by Rogers.

202. Intelligence Report

Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 359, Subject Files, Narcotics V. Secret; Sensitive