Office of the Historian

356. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford1

Washington, undated.

Secretary Kissinger asked that I pass to you the following report on his first day on the Latin American trip.

“I stopped Sunday noon in the Dominican Republic to spend four hours with the Foreign Minister and President Balaguer. I wanted to show our appreciation for the support which this good friend has been giving us and demonstrate our interest in the Caribbean area more generally.

“The Dominican Republic has made impressive progress in the ten years since our intervention there. Its economy has grown steadily and its political stability appears assured as long as Balaguer is around. The country is an island of sanity in an otherwise turbulent area.

“Both the President and the Foreign Minister declared again their intention to continue their sturdy support for the U.S. internationally and maintained their country’s hospitable attitude toward foreign investment which is chiefly of American origin.

“I used the occasion to explain the purpose of the trip in terms of continuing the progress towards revitalization of our relations with Latin America made in my earlier visit in February; restated the principles of our Latin American policy and gave some indication of the positive program we will present to the OAS General Assembly in Santiago on Monday. In general, I think the stop provided a positive platform on which to build for the rest of the trip.”

  1. Summary: Scowcroft transcribed Kissinger’s report on his visit to the Dominican Republic, in which he lauded the country for its economic growth and political stability and for its support of the United States.

    Source: Ford Library, Ford Papers, Trip Briefing Books and Cables for Henry Kissinger, Kissinger Trip File, Box 25, June 6–13, 1976—Latin America, HAK Messages for the President. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for information. Ford initialed the memorandum.

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