Office of the Historian

116. Memorandum From Thomas Thornton of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, November 20, 1980

SUBJECT

  • M-B-B Follow-up—Argentina

Yesterday’s M-B-B outdid itself in ambiguity on the Argentine front.2 (C)

[Page 384]

State thinks it is supposed to prepare an overall review of US-Argentine policy for use in a PRC. (C)

Defense thinks that it is supposed to do a much briefer paper which would, presumably, find its way via us to the President. The paper would presumably cover only some small-scale actions on the military front that could be taken to keep the ball in play until the new administration(s) take over. (S)

Nobody is quite sure how this is to relate to the Viola (not Videla) visit since there is no particular reason to assume that Viola will even be interested in talking to anybody in this Administration. (C)

I would like some guidance from you on what has happened and is supposed to happen. After that I will meet early next week with Kramer (ISA) and Bushnell (State) to develop a plan of action.3 (C)

GUIDANCE REQUESTED: (Please check as appropriate)

1. Are we supposed to do a full-scale review of US-Argentine relations_______ or simply put forth some specific decisions for the President to make_______?4 (Note that the really big issue is Kennedy-Humphrey and with the Congress going out of session there is no way that this Administration can deal with that. (S)

2. Do you want a PRC_______ or a coordinated interagency memo for the President to pass on_______?5 (C)

3. Should further action be keyed solely to a Viola visit (which may well never take place)_______6 or should we be thinking in terms of routine contacts (as DOD prefers)_______? (C)

4. What do you want to come out of this drill? As you know, my preference is to put everything on ice but my responsibility is to represent your interests. (A phone call or a meeting would seem to be indicated unless your preferences are pretty simple and straightforward.)7 (S)

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Thornton, Country Files, Box 91, Argentina, 3/79–12/80. Secret. Sent for action.↩
  2. Attached but not printed is a November 19 memorandum from Brzezinski to Aaron and Denend. Brzezinski transmitted decisions taken at the M–B–B lunch: “Argentina: Defer any consideration until just prior to the Videla visit, at which point review for possible Presidential consideration.”↩
  3. No record of meeting minutes has been found.↩
  4. Brzezinski checked this option.↩
  5. Brzezinski circled the phrase “coordinated interagency memo” and checked it. No record of this memorandum has been found.↩
  6. Brzezinski checked this option. Viola did not meet with Carter.↩
  7. Brzezinski wrote in the left-hand margin: “an option for the P. in the event he does meet with V.”↩