96. Memorandum From Stephen Low of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)1
SUBJECT
- Panama Canal Negotiators
I’d like to call your attention to a personnel problem which I believe to be of some importance.
The Deputy Canal Negotiator is a Foreign Service Officer with the personnel rank of Minister by name of Morey Bell. His relations with the Pentagon have steadily deteriorated over the last two years and reached the place where DOD simply has no confidence in him and is deeply concerned over his influence with Bunker. There are many in Defense genuinely interested in obtaining a treaty who believe that the Negotiators (i.e., Bell) are not getting the point across to the Panamanians that there is no more slack in the lands and waters proposal and that if there is to be Defense support for a treaty, Panama will have to accept it more or less as it stands.
Things reached such a point that Clements raised the issue with Ingersoll, requesting either that Bell be replaced, or that a second Deputy be named from the Defense Department.
It is my understanding that the matter has never been presented to Bunker but instead was referred to the Secretary, who may have some hesitation about appointing DOD people to positions of this kind based on considerations beyond the Panama issue.
From my own experience, Defense has very strong grounds for its complaints in this case. I believe that without a better basis for trust as the negotiations proceed, we will not get Defense’s support for the treaty which ultimately emerges, and, as a result, seriously damage our chances of obtaining its approval in the Senate.
Recommendation
If the appropriate occasion arises, you may want to reinforce with the Secretary the importance of acceding to one or the other of Defense’s [Page 259] suggestions, i.e., replace the Deputy or add a second from Defense.2 (Bunker would be strongly opposed to the first of these.)
- Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Latin American Affairs Staff Files, 1974–77, Box 7, Panama Canal Treaty Negotiations (6). Confidential; Sensitive. A note in the upper right margin reads: “[illegible] did come back—[illegible] 9/9.”↩
- Kissinger did not immediately remove Bell, who remained on the Ambassador’s staff until August 1977. (Panama Odyssey, p. 427) In an October 30 letter to Clements, Ingersoll concurred with Clements’ memorandum of understanding proposing the appointment of General Welborn G. Dolvin as a Deputy Negotiator from the Department of Defense. He noted that General Dolvin’s appointment “will become effective upon signature of the memorandum by you and Secretary Hoffman.” (National Archives, RG 218, Brown Papers, Panama Jul 1974–Dec 1975)↩