Office of the Historian

342. Notes of Meeting1

Washington, December 5, 1967, 1:18–2:37 p.m.

NOTES OF THE PRESIDENT’S MEETING

WITH

THE VICE PRESIDENT

SECRETARY McNAMARA

SECRETARY RUSK

CYRUS VANCE

CIA DIRECTOR HELMS

WALT ROSTOW

GEORGE CHRISTIAN

TOM JOHNSON

The President congratulated Mr. Vance for an excellent job and an excellent report.

Secretary Rusk said a case study should be made of this. He called Cyrus Vance’s actions an example of diplomatic excellence.

The President explained that he thought General Chapman would make an excellent Marine Corps Commandant. Dick Helms called it the “right” man for the job.

Mr. Vance then reviewed his report to the President, stressing the need that the report not be made public or any acknowledgement that a written report was submitted. (A single copy of this report is attached.2 It is not for redistribution.)

Secretary Rusk said the most important impression that Mr. Vance brought back from his trip was that both Greece and Turkey were anxious to reduce their commitment to Cyprus. The Secretary said Greece could do this only under a dictatorship so we should try to get this disengagement from Cyprus before a democratically elected government comes into office in Greece. Otherwise, the Secretary said public opinion would not permit a democratically elected government to reduce its commitment.

Mr. Vance said he appreciated the fact the President gave the widest latitude possible in handling this situation.3

[Here follows discussion of unrelated subjects.]

  1. Source: Johnson Library, Tom Johnson’s Notes of Meetings. No classification marking. The meeting was held at the White House. These notes are printed with the permission of Tom Johnson.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. For text of President Johnson’s statement issued after the meeting with Vance, and of Vance’s remarks, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1967, pp. 370–371.↩