Office of the Historian

332. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford, Washington, November 7, 1974.1 2

Washington, November 7, 1974

MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON

November 7, 1974

MEMORANDUM FOR: THE PRESIDENT
FROM: BRENT SCOWCROFT [BS initialed]

SUBJECT: Philippine First Lady’s Request to Call on Mrs. Ford

The Philippine First Lady, Mrs. Imelda Marcos, has asked to call on Mrs. Ford sometime next week.

Mrs. Marcos’ current visit is another of her annual informal trips to the US. During each of these, she has exerted considerable effort to see the President or the First Lady. In late 1970 she was received by President Nixon and in 1971 Mrs. Nixon gave a small tea and President Nixon dropped by briefly. In early 1973, Mrs. Marcos did her best to attend the Inauguration as Philippine First Lady. Because she did not think the seat given her at the Inaugural ceremony sufficiently prominent, she stayed away from that and the Inaugural Ball, and instead attended a counter inaugural party with Jack Valenti.

The following are the principal advantages and disadvantages of Mrs. Ford’s giving a tea for Mrs. Marcos:

Advantages

  • — Would demonstrate the friendly ties that exist with a close South Asian ally.
  • — Would reassure the Philippines of US interest at a time when attention is focused on your visits to Northeast Asia.
  • — Would avoid giving offense to President and Mrs. Marcos.

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Disadvantages

  • — May be exploited by Mrs. Marcos to suggest US support for President Marcos’ authoritarian political controls, which could generate criticism among certain elements in both the Philippines and in the US.
  • — Might present us with new requests for economic and military assistance to the Philippines, accompanied by substantial publicity in the Philippines.
  • — In light of her recent visit to Peking and meetings with Chairman and Mrs. Mao, could lead Mrs. Marcos to claim an underserved position of East-West go-between.

Mrs. Marcos can be counted upon to use a meeting and anything said at the meeting for her own political purposes (which are not invariably identical with those of her husband). Her record in this regard is such that the State Department and NSC Asian experts unanimously recommend against a meeting. The problems which such a meeting might bring, however, are not likely to be of a deeply serious or lasting nature. In other words, while the hazards of a meeting appear to outweigh its benefits, a decision either way appears manageable.

RECOMMENDATION:

That you indicate your preference for Mrs. Ford’s giving a tea for Mrs. Marcos.

Approve [GRF initialed]
Disapprove

  1. Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for East Asia and the Pacific, Box 15, Philippines (1). Secret. Sent for action. Ford initialed his disapproval of a meeting between his wife and Mrs. Marcos.↩
  2. Scowcroft asked the President whether Mrs. Ford should meet with Imelda Marcos.↩