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

159. Telegram 38951 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Chile¹

Washington, February 27, 1974, 1517Z.

38951. Subject: Secretary’s Bilateral Discussion with Chilean Foreign Minister Huerta.

1. The Secretary had a 25 minute conversation with Chilean Foreign Minister Huerta at the palace of Tlatelolco on February 22 after lunch and before the conference reconvened. The Secretary was accompanied by Bloomfield, Ara and Low, NSC. The Foreign Minister was accompanied by Ambassadors Bernstein and Claro.

2. Huerta noted he had an economic and a political problem to review with the Secretary; problems which he had already taken up with Kubisch and the chargé in Santiago. He noted that the Paris Club negotiations were very important and requested our support. The Secretary assured him of that. Huerta then described the food and inflation problem in Chile. The GOC, he said had applied for $190 million in food credits which the US had said after July 1. The Secretary noted it was a large amount.

3. The Secretary said we wanted the government to succeed and would implement this policy. He noted our difficult domestic situation but said we could live with it as long as the GOC didn’t get nervous about it. He made reference to the meeting on Chile noting that we had tried to get the Swedish government to call off Ambassador Edelstam but it had refused, promising only he would not be inflammatory. Foreign Minister Huerta said he would understand as long as the decision centers weren’t influenced.

4. Huerta noted his concern about Peruvian arms. He said the Chilean need was for peace and reconstruction but there were some in his country who might try to make trouble. He said that Cubans were maintaining the Soviet tanks and that Soviet influence in Peru was continuing. The Secretary said he was aware of the Chilean requests for arms and noted that we have approved the tanks, but, he said, this was tactically not the best time for the airplanes. It would be better delayed until later in the year. He offered to exercise US influence with Peru to see that there was not trouble. Again he promised to be as helpful as we could, reestablishing our traditional friendship with Chile.

Casey

1. Summary: During a February 22 discussion at a Meeting of Foreign Ministers in Mexico City, Huerta and Kissinger discussed Chilean economic problems and Chile’s request for military assistance. Kissinger assured the Foreign Minister of U.S. support.

   Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Country Files, Box 777, Latin America, Chile, Vol. 8, 1 January 1973–31 March 1974. Confidential; Nodis. Drafted by Low on February 22; cleared by Bloomfield. According to telegram 40006 to Santiago, February 28, the penultimate sentence in paragraph 2 should read, “the GOC, he said, had applied for $190 million in food credits which the U.S. had said it would consider after July 1.” (Ibid.) In his appearance before a congressional symposium on February 28, Swedish Ambassador Edelstam made no criticism of U.S. policy towards Chile. (Telegram 40733 to Stockholm, February 28; ibid., RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]) Telegram 661 from Santiago, February 10, reported on Kubisch’s February 10 meeting with Huerta during the Assistant Secretary’s visit to Chile. (Ibid.)