Office of the Historian

48. Backchannel Message From the Ambassador to Chile (Korry) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Santiago, January 29, 1971, 2256Z.

719. 1. In addition to Santiago 544 via State channels you and President should be aware of fulminations against administration by some major US businesses here. Embassy sending separate cable on Anaconda’s statements including their comments re my position and their interpretation of Washington Post story. Others echo them.

2. As I had predicted to you, leakage about my tenure would strengthen the argument of those who on Oct. 30th had advised Allende in writing to play upon the alleged divisions between State and the White House and to force my removal in order to strengthen Allende’s position in the US, in Chile and elsewhere. That leak was made some weeks ago as I anticipated it would be and as I was aware that it had been.

3. The wording of the Dept’s prepared press guidance in response to the Post story will only serve to confirm that story and further damage the extraordinarily difficult negotiating position we have here. It will without question undermine the President’s authority. At a time when all the Chilean non-Marxists are saying loud and clear in daily print what you said in your Chicago backgrounder, the sad truth is that there are a great many misguided people in Washington who seek to justify their own overtaken positions, unaware that it is not social justice or social systems that should be of concern but the effect on Soviet or Chinese strategists who do understand the opportunities afforded by Allende’s policies in a broad area once considered “special” for the U.S. and whose perceptions do affect the security and the structure of the US. When the Chilean Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs can mock the U.S. in the crude authentic language reported in Santiago 565, he makes the obvious point.

4. I shall, of course, continue to keep my silence, outraged though I and my family confess to being, as long as I am the President’s representative. I suggest you read the Anaconda cable and I would appreciate your comments. Warmest regards.

  1. Summary: In this message, Korry reported on the criticism of the Allende administration by U.S. businessmen in Chile and discussed the implications that the reports of his departure from his ambassadorship had had on U.S.-Chilean relations.

    Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 423, Country Files, Latin America, Chile, 1971. Secret; Exclusively Eyes Only. A handwritten notation on the first page by Haig reads, “Arnie, in envelope.” Underneath Haig’s notation, “Xerox copy sent—n.m.” is written in an unknown hand.

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