Office of the Historian

211. Memorandum From Stephen Low of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)1

Washington, November 18, 1975.

SUBJECT

  • Our Increasingly Hard-Nosed Attitude towards Chile

In the past public criticism of the Government of Chile was largely confined to the Congress and the press. Increasingly, however, the Executive has been adopting hostile postures towards the Chilean Government both publicly and privately.

The first manifestation of this was our decision to strike Chile from the list of those countries receiving FMS for 1977. This was followed by the front page New York Times article based on a USUN source accusing the Chileans of selling their vote on Zionism. Then we voted in favor of the resolution condemning Chile for its human rights practices. Today (Tuesday) State instructed our Embassy in Santiago to present a note of protest to the Chilean Government at the Foreign Minister level. The instruction described a five-day delay in granting Consular access to an American priest as “completely unacceptable” and told the Embassy to state that we view such a delay as “outrageous.” (Telegram attached.)

At the same time Senator Kennedy has introduced an amendment which would deny all arms transfers to Chile whether FMS or commercial sales, and including munitions control licenses.

As you are aware, we were successful in getting the Chileans to release three nuns and a priest who were returned to this country. Then we voted in favor of the resolution condemning Chile on human rights. [Page 580] We may consider Chilean refusal to give us access to the priest unacceptable, but we should not be surprised.

  1. Summary: Low informed Scowcroft that the executive branch of the U.S. Government was increasingly adopting hostile postures toward Chile.

    Source: Ford Library, White House Central Files, Subject File, Box 12, CO 33 Chile, 10/1/1975–1/20/1977. Confidential. Sent for information. Scowcroft initialed the memorandum. Attached but not published is telegram 272701 to Santiago, November 18. On October 19, the New York Times reported a U.S. official’s allegation that the Chileans had agreed with the Arab nations to vote for a draft U.N. resolution linking Zionism with racism in exchange for their support against charges of human rights violations. (“U.S. Aide Charges Chile Sold U.N. Vote to Arabs,” p. 1) The Kennedy Amendment to the Foreign Assistance and the FMS Acts, introduced on November 11, stipulated that no military or security supporting assistance could be given to Chile, no sales of defense articles or services could be made to Chile, and no credits could be extended to or loans guaranteed for Chile for the export of arms. (Telegram 267844 to USCINCSO, November 13; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750396–0802) In telegram 7509 from Santiago, November 7, the Embassy reported that the Chilean Government had agreed to allow the departure from the country of an American priest and three nuns suspected of harboring leftist terrorists. (Ibid., D750387–1111)

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