224. Letter From Secretary of State Rogers to Secretary of the Treasury Schultz1 2
Dear George:
Prior to his departure, John Connally wrote to me concerning the commitment of funds to the Burmese and Turkish narcotics programs.
I concur that coordination with full exchange of information and views on funding matters is essential. In fact, one of the reasons for the establishment of the Cabinet Committee structure was to ensure coordination of our international narcotics programs, as well as to bring major policy differences to the Cabinet level for decision.
With regard to assistance to Burma, Nelson Gross, my Senior Adviser on Narcotics Matters, reported on his meeting with Ne Win at the Cabinet Committee Working Group meeting of February 7, 1972. In return for a Burmese promise to undertake action again illicit opium processing and trafficking, Mr. Gross offered to provide detailed narcotics intelligence to the Burmese and to furnish equipment and material for use in narcotics suppression. While no assistance amount was mentioned at the meeting, the proposal was agreed to in principle by the members of the Working [Page 2] Group. Subsequently, when the amount of assistance for Burma was being considered at the working level, Treasury indicated there would be no objection to an amount not to exceed $3 million.
On Turkey, I regret that through an oversight the $400,000 grant was not discussed with Treasury. The $400,000 will be used to fund a resident group of U.S. experts who will provide support for the Turkish regional organization established in the former poppy growing area. The amount does not add significantly to our $35 million commitment. Moreover, in the December 16, 1971, Cabinet Committee meeting it was agreed that everything possible should be done to ensure the success of the current crop eradication effort in Turkey. We felt it was necessary to provide these additional funds in order to get the agricultural program moving. I think we all recognize that the permanency of the opium ban depends in large measure on the success of the agricultural program to provide alternate income to those farmers affected by the ban.
We understand the concern with respect to the several Turkish requests for quantities of narcotics enforcement equipment, and we have declined to provide the magnitude desired by the Turks. However, I think we should take a careful look at requests for equipment that the Turks demonstrate they can utilize, and that is needed to enforce the opium ban or to prevent Turkey from becoming [Page 3] a bridge for narcotics traffic from neighboring countries destined for the United States. We will, of course, consult with your Department on any such requests.
Sincerely,