Office of the Historian

212. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Washington, March 10, 1971.

SUBJECT

  • Ambassador Korry

As I mentioned to you earlier, I am very concerned about the future status of Ambassador Korry. I understand that Rogers is determined to fire him as soon as possible and to not offer him any further assignments. As you know, I hold no great brief for the Ambassador, however, in his own mind he has worked diligently for the President and for you and I understand feels that the treatment he has received has resulted from his responsiveness to the White House.

He holds a great many secrets, including the fact that the President both directly and through you communicated to him some extremely sensitive guidance. I can think of nothing more embarrassing to the Administration than thrusting a former columnist who is totally alienated from the President and yourself, as well as the Secretary of State, out into the world without a means of livelihood. This can only lead to rev [Page 590] elations which could be exploited by a hungry Democratic opposition to a degree that we might not have heretofore imagined.

In view of this, I strongly recommend that you talk to Secretary Rogers again about the need to offer this individual a suitable alternate assignment. If Secretary Rogers permits his temper to prevail, then I urge you to talk to Bob Haldeman and insure that Korry’s loyalty to the President and yourself is at least insured by offering him some other post within the Administration.

In any event, it is a little shabby to treat an individual in the manner in which Rogers is apparently doing. This is a serious matter, raised by Korry with Arnie Nachmanoff in Panama this past weekend. It was evident to Arnie that Korry is rapidly building a whopping resentment against you and the President.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 778, Country Files, Latin America, Chile, Vol. I, Korry File. Secret. A handwritten notation at the top of the memorandum states, “HAK took this up with Rogers 11 March.”↩