Panama, 1973–1976
61. Backchannel Message From the Governor of the Panama Canal Zone (Parker) to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army (Koren)
Source: National Archives, RG 185, Subject Files of 1979 Panama Canal Treaty Planning Group, Box 5, Messages Jul to Dec 19 74. Confidential; Priority; Eyes Only.
62. Letter From the Chairman of the Department of Defense Panama Canal Negotiations Working Group (Koren) to Ambassador at Large Bunker
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Ambassador Bunker’s Correspondence, Lot 78D300, Box 4, Employees. Confidential.
63. Paper Prepared for Secretary of State Kissinger
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 2 04, Panama Chronological File, Sept 1973–June 1973. Secret; Nodis; Stadis. Drafted by Bell on December 13; Bunker, Bowdler, Feldman, and Richardson concurred. Sent to Kissinger under a January 10 covering memorandum from Bunker who wrote: “Attached is the ‘Issues Paper’ referred to in my memorandum to you of December 3. I thought you might wish to discuss this with the President prior to my return from Panama January 20.” Bunker’s December 3 memorandum is Document 59.
64. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Panama Canal Zone (Conley) to the Governor of the Panama Canal Zone (Parker)
Source: National Archives, RG 185, Subject Files of the 1979 Panama Canal Treaty Planning Group, Box 9, Land, Water, Air Space Use I, 10/11/74–7/26/75. Confidential. Sent through the Lieutenant Governor.
65. Memorandum From Secretary of State Kissinger to President Ford
Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 204, Geopolitical, Panama Chronological, Sept 1973–1975. Secret; Exdis. In a February 6 covering memorandum to Kissinger, Bunker and Rogers urged him to forward the memorandum, as well as a public relations strategy, to the President. Kissinger wrote: “This should be discussed interdepartmentally including Defense. Let Brent start urgently.” Regarding the coordination with the Defense Department, see footnote 1, Document 66.
66. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files, FRC 330–78–0058, Panama 821C, Jan–July 1975. Secret. Drafted by Swett; approved by Jordan on February 21. The meeting took place in Ellsworth’s office. In an undated briefing paper to Ellsworth, Wallace wrote: “Severe pressure from U.S. Negotiators to persuade Department of Defense to ‘give’ on U.S. position is a certainty,” adding, “Ambassador Bunker has prepared a memorandum for the Secretary of State to send to the President requesting modification of Presidential guidance with respect to the duration of the new treaty [Document 65]. State Department authorities report that this memorandum, which was not coordinated with the Department of Defense, has not yet been sent to the President. There is no indication that this document will be coordinated with DoD which portends a most difficult situation for the Administration during Congressional hearings which will be held on the subject.” (Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files, FRC 330–77–0043, BDM Panama Canal—FY 75)
67. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Ambassador Bunker’s Correspondence, Lot 78D300, Box 3, DOA–DOD, Liaison With. Confidential. Drafted by Wyrough. The meeting was held at the Pentagon.
68. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Clements) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files, FRC 330–78–0058, Panama 821 (Jan–July 1975). Secret.
69. Memorandum From Stephen Low of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Latin American Affairs Staff Files, 1974–77, Box 7, Panama Canal—Treaty Negotiations (2). Confidential. Sent for information.
70. Letter From Colombian President Lopez Michelsen, Costa Rican President Oduber, and Venezuelan President Andres Perez to President Ford
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Ambassador Bunker’s Correspondence, Lot 78D300, Box 6, Third Country Matters. No classification marking. A public joint declaration reiterating the statements made in the letter is attached. The public declaration, issued in Panama City on March 25, was in the form of a letter to Ford and the other chiefs of state in the Western Hemisphere signed by the three Presidents and General Torrijos. (“Latin Leaders Urge U.S. To Yield Canal,” The New York Times, March 26, 1975, p. 24)
71. Action Memorandum From Ambassador at Large Bunker to Secretary Kissinger
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Entry 5403, Box 1, Nodis Msc Documents, Tels, Etc, 1974–1977 (3). Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Bunker.
72. Minutes of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Principals and Regionals Staff Meeting
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Transcripts of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Staff Meetings, 1973–1977, Lot 78D443, Box 6, Secretary’s Staff Meetings, April 14, 1975. Secret.
73. Minutes of a Senior Review Group Meeting
Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files, Box 24, Meeting Minutes—Senior Review Group, April–May 1975. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. The minutes were sent to Kissinger under a covering memorandum from Davis dated April 25. The briefing papers for this meeting, including a covering memorandum from Low and Granger to Kissinger, April 19; undated talking points; a memorandum from Clements to Kissinger, February 27; a memorandum from Bunker to Kissinger, March 28 (see footnote 2, Document 71); a memorandum from Koren to Low, April 18; an undated summary and analysis of State and Defense Department arguments; a list of past NSDMs regarding Panama; and an undated proposed NSDM that would alter the negotiating instructions for the negotiating team are in the Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files, Box 14, Senior Review Group Meeting, 4/22/75—Panama Canal (1). A memorandum from the Department of State to Ford may refer to Document 65.
74. Central Intelligence Agency Intelligence Information Cable
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, DCI Files, National Intelligence Council, Job 79R01012A, Box 499, Folder 1: (SNIE 8–1–75) Panama Canal Treaty: The Likely Consequences of Certain Contingent Developments (Drafts). Secret; Priority; No Foreign Dissem; Controlled Dissem; No Dissem Abroad.
75. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Department of Defense Panama Canal Negotiations Working Group (Koren) and Ambassador at Large Bunker to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P770102–0101. Secret; Sensitive.
76. Memorandum From the Deputy U.S. Negotiator (Bell) to Ambassador at Large Bunker
Source: National Archives, RG 84, Lot 81F1, American Embassy, Panama, Panama Canal Treaty Negotiations Files, Box 125, POL 33.3–2/Jurisdiction, 1975. Secret; Sensitive; Nodis. Drafted by Bell. Brackets are in the original.
77. Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting
Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files, Meetings, Box 10, NSC Meeting, 5/15/75—Panama Canal. Top Secret; Sensitive. Part II of III. Part I of the minutes concerns the seizure of the Mayaguez by Cambodia; Part III concerns the Middle East. The meeting was held in the White House Cabinet Room
78. Memorandum From the Deputy U.S. Negotiator (Bell) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rogers)
Source: National Archives, RG 84, American Embassy, Panama, Panama Canal Treaty Negotiation Files, Lot 81F1, Box 125, POL 33.3–2/Jurisdiction, 1975. Secret; Sensitive; Stadis; Nodis.
79. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Clements) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files, FRC 330–78–0058, Panama 821 (Jan–Jul) 1975. Secret. A copy was sent to Ingersoll.
80. Minutes of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Principals and Regionals Staff Meeting
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Transcripts of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Staff Meetings, 1973–1977, Lot 78D443, Box 7, Secretary’s Staff Meeting, June 9, 1975. Secret. The minutes are mistakenly dated May 9.
81. Letter From the Governor of the Panama Canal Zone (Parfitt) to the Secretary of the Army (Callaway)
Source: National Archives, RG 84, American Embassy, Panama, Panama Canal Treaty Negotiation Files, Lot 81F1, Box 125, POL 33.3–2/Jurisdiction, 1975. Official Use Only. Harold R. Parfitt assumed his duties as Canal Zone Governor on April 1.
82. Memorandum From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Clements) to President Ford
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files, FRC 330–80–0044, Box 13, NEG—Panama and Panama Canal Zone April 1975–Oct 1975. Secret. The memorandum was forwarded to Clements for his signature on June 19 under a covering memorandum from Ellsworth which requested permission to distribute copies of the memorandum to Kissinger, Bunker, Callaway, and Brown. Clements approved the distribution on June 20.
83. Memorandum From the Deputy U.S. Negotiator (Bell) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rogers)
Source: National Archives, RG 84, American Embassy, Panama, Panama Canal Treaty Negotiation Files, Lot 81F1, Box 125, POL 33.3–2/Jurisdiction, 1975. No classification marking. Drafted by Morris.
84. Briefing Memorandum From Ambassador at Large Bunker to Secretary of State Kissinger
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Ambassador Bunker’s Correspondence, Lot 78D300, Box 4, Key Documents. Secret; Sensitive; Exdis; Stadis. Drafted by Bell; Rogers and Feldman, Mark B. concurred. Sent through Ingersoll.
85. Letter From Secretary of State Kissinger to Senator John L. McClellan
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Ambassador Bunker’s Correspondence, Lot 78D300, Congress Snyder Byrd Amendment. No classification marking. Drafted by Pezzullo and Richardson. McClellan was Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
86. Minutes of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Principals and Regionals Staff Meeting
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Transcripts of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Staff Meetings, 1973–1977, Lot 78D443, ES177, Secretary’s Staff Meeting, June 27, 1975. Secret. The minutes list both an 8 a.m. and a 9:10 a.m. start time for the meeting.
87. Minutes of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Principals and Regionals Staff Meeting
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Transcripts of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Staff Meetings, 1973–1977, Lot 78D443, ES177, Secretary’s Staff Meeting, July 7, 1975. Secret. The minutes list both an 8 a.m. and a 9:10 a.m. start time for the meeting.
88. Letter From Senator Hubert H. Humphrey and Senator Gale W. McGee to President Ford
Source: Ford Library, White House Central Files, Subject Files, Box 13, 3–1/Panama Canal 8/1/75–8/31/75. No classification marking. Both Senators were on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
89. Telegram From the Embassy in Panama to the Department of State
Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files, FRC 330–80–0044, Box 13, NEG—Panama and Panama Canal Zone April 1975–Oct 1975. Confidential; Immediate. Sent for information to USCINCSO and PANCANAL.
90. Minutes of a National Security Council Meeting
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Meetings File, Box 2, NSC Meeting, July 23, 1975. Top Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the Cabinet Room.