Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–11, Part 2, Documents on South America, 1973–1976

150. Telegram 212443 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Chile¹

Washington, October 27, 1973, 0004Z.

212443. Subject: GOC Requests for Military Supplies. Reference: Santiago 5121.

1. We concur in your judgment that a single coordinated channel for Chilean requests in this area would be undesirable at this time. Our thought had been that such a channel would provide for review of these requests at upper levels of GOC where perhaps sensitivity to political considerations involved would be more acute. However, your point that result could be clear priority lists headed by undesirable items is persuasive.

2. We note your assessment that the GOC is not likely to desist from pushing requests for sensitive military items. That may prove to be the case, but our minimum objective must be to minimize the damage that an insensitive Chilean attitude can produce. There should be no question that the provision of lethal equipment in the prevailing atmosphere of Congressional and public opinion could have severe consequences on terms of our future ability to assist and cooperate with the GOC. This is not to say that we are disposed to deny matériel critically needed by the junta and unavailable elsewhere. It does mean that GOC should weigh carefully its requirements in light of Chile’s longer-term interests and keeping in mind other sources of supply.

3. Our impression has been that Foreign Minister Huerta and Admiral Eberhard are reasonably receptive to this line of reasoning. We recognize that other ranking Chilean officers may not be, but would hope for sufficient sophistication among the key officers to make our educational efforts worthwhile. We will continue and reinforce these efforts here, as we know you will there.

Kissinger

1. Summary: The Department concurred in the Embassy’s view that a single coordinated channel for Chilean requests for military supplies would be undesirable, and it observed that the provision of lethal equipment in the prevailing congressional and public atmosphere would hurt the future ability of the U.S. Government to aid the Chilean Government.

   Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Country Files, Box 777, Latin America, Chile, Vol. 8, 1 January 1973–31 March 1974. Secret; Priority; Nodis. Drafted by Shlaudeman; cleared by Gammon; and approved by Kubisch. In telegram 5121 from Santiago, October 19, the Embassy informed the Department it thought that a single channel for Chilean requests of military supplies would stimulate a very comprehensive list, substantially increasing the pressures on the Department for a prompt response, which would be politically damaging given the current climate. (Ibid.)