Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume IX, Vietnam, October 1972–January 1973

86. Summary of Conclusions of a Washington Special Actions Group Meeting¹

Washington, November 2, 1972, 3:07–4:15 p.m.

SUBJECT

• Steps for the Implementation of a Southeast Asia Agreement

PARTICIPANTS

• Chairman—Henry A. Kissinger
• State
  • U. Alexis Johnson
  • William Sullivan
• Defense
  • Kenneth Rush
  • G. Warren Nutter
  • R/Adm. Daniel J. Murphy
  • Roger Shields
• JCS
  • V/Adm. John Weinel
• CIA
  • Richard Helms
  • George Carver
  • William Newton
• NSC
  • M/Gen. Alexander Haig
  • Richard Kennedy
  • John Holdridge
  • James T. Hackett

SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS

It was agreed that:

• —We will use civilians for as many of the intelligence functions as possible, leaving the military, including attachés, to handle strictly military functions.
• —The marine guards at Embassy Saigon will not be counted as part of the fifty military personnel we will be permitted to have in Vietnam.
• —The State Department will make plans for a separate international conference to establish a voluntary consultative group to consider the economic program for IndoChina.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–117, Washington Special Actions Group, WSAG Minutes (Originals) 7–27–72 to 9–20–73. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. The minutes of the meeting are attached.