Office of the Historian

163. Memorandum of Conversation1 2

Washington, February 26, 1970.

SUBJECT:

  • Narcotics

PARTICIPANTS

  • France
  • Maurice Schumann, French Foreign Minister
  • Charles Lucet, French Ambassador
  • Jacques Senard, Chief of Protocol, French Foreign Ministry
  • Paul LeMerle, Director, Foreign Minister’s Staff
  • Jacques Leprette, Minister-Counselor, French Embassy
  • Madame Simone Servais, Press Advisor to the Presidency
  • Jean-Bernard Raimond, Advisor to the Presidency
  • Jean Beliard, Chief of Press and Information, French Foreign Ministry
  • Luc de la Barre de Nanteuil, Chief of Levant Affairs, French Foreign Ministry
  • Dr. Paul Levy, Counselor for Scientific Affairs, French Embassy
  • United States
  • The Secretary
  • The Under Secretary
  • Dr. Henry Kissinger, Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
  • Ambassador Emil Mosbacher, Jr., Chief of Protocol
  • Martin J. Hillenbrand, Assistant Secretary for European Affairs
  • Joseph J. Sisco, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs
  • Philip H. Trezise, Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs
  • Ambassador R. Sargent Shriver
  • Herman Pollack, Director, International Scientific and Technological Affairs
  • Dr. Allen Astin, U.S. Coordinator of U.S.-French Scientific Cooperation HELMUT SONNENFELDT, National Security Council
  • Charles R. Tanguy, Country Director for France/Benelux
  • Richard G. Long, Country Officer for France
[Page 2]

The Secretary emphasized that the President takes a strong personal interest in narcotics control and considers it one of the most important problems this country faces. The Secretary said he wanted to be sure the Foreign Minister and President Pompidou fully appreciated the depth of our feeling on this matter. Bilaterally, we have talked about having French agents in New York, additional U.S. agents in France, joint seminars, and collaboration to obtain Turkish cooperation. In conclusion, the Secretary said that each of our governments should do everything possible in this field.

Foreign Minister Schumann said that the French Government appreciated the importance that the President attaches to this matter and referred to the fact that progress had already been achieved. Ambassador Shriver agreed but added that the important thing now is to increase the number of persons assigned to the problem in France. Foreign Minister Schumann replied that they hoped to enlarge the French program.

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970-73, SOC 11-5. Confidential. The meeting was held in the Cabinet Room of the White House and began at 11:45 a.m. Drafted by Long.↩
  2. In a meeting with French Foreign Minister Schumann, Secretary of State Rogers emphasized President Nixon’s strong personal interest in narcotics control.↩