Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–10, Documents on American Republics, 1969–1972

633. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon¹ ²

Washington, February 8, 1972

SUBJECT:

• President of Peru Comments on US-Peruvian Relations

On January 17 our Ambassador to Peru, Taylor Belcher, met with President Juan Velasco of Peru to deliver your message concerning your upcoming visits to Peking and Moscow. President Velasco was very appreciative of your message and used the occasion of the meeting to initiate a frank discussion of US-Peruvian relations. He expressed satisfaction at the great improvement in US-Peruvian relations over the last year, and indicated that previous Peruvian fears that the US might be working covertly against his government have now been discarded. He believes that the US now recognizes that his government is non-communist and offers a reasonable alternative to the Communist regimes in Cuba and Chile.

President Velasco noted his concern with events in Chile and voiced particular concern over the implications for Peru should Chile become armed with Soviet military equipment. He suggested the importance of increasing cooperation between Peru and the US in the face of our common foe, communism, and expressed particular interest in re-establishing collaboration in the intelligence field. [text not declassified]

Our Ambassador summarized the tone of the conversation as one demonstrating that the Peruvian suspicions of 1968–70 have now been allayed. The obvious implication is that further improvement in US-Peruvian relations is now possible.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 792, Country Files, Latin America, Peru, Vol. 3, January 1972–31 December 73. Secret. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Next to the second paragraph Nixon wrote “K—! good.”
2. Kissinger reported that President Velasco believed that United States-Peruvian relations had improved in the last year. Velasco thought the United States and Peru should work together more closely to contain communism in the region and resume a liaison relationship between their intelligence services.