Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIX, Eastern Europe; Eastern Mediterranean, 1969–1972

251. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Military Aide (Haig) to the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)¹

Washington, June 23, 1969.

SUBJECT

• Foreign Military Sales to Greece

1. The memorandum you sent to the President (Tab B)² mentioned the three general options we have in military assistance policy for Greece:

a. cut it off altogether;

b. ship non-major items but continue the suspension of major items;

c. resume full military aid.

2. Your memo simply asked the President to eliminate “option a” and to concur in a credit sale of non-major items (which would be part of “option b”). The memo stated that we would leave the choice between staying at option b and going on to option c for the NSC Review which we now have scheduled for the last half of July. Nevertheless, the President jumped to option c.

3. After talking with Hal Saunders about this, I conclude that we should allow the NSC paper to come forward as scheduled. In the meantime, however, it is clear that the President is quite willing to see us go ahead with credit sale of non-major items. Since that is the only subject we addressed in this memo, I suggest that we consider the Presidentʼs response an approval of this limited action.

4. It is important that we respond to Stateʼs memo of June 11 (Tab C)³ quickly so that negotiation of this sale can be completed before the end of the fiscal year. Only if we meet that deadline can we take advantage of the funds still available under the Foreign Military Sales Act which expires June 30.

Recommendation: That you sign the memo at Tab A.⁴

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 593, Country Files—Middle East, Greece, Vol. I Jan 69–Oct 70. Secret.
2. Document 249.
3. Attached but not printed. In it the Department found that the Greek regime was a military dictatorship within the meaning of the Reuss amendment, but recommended that continued military sales to Greece were important to U.S. security.
4. Attached but not printed. The June 23 memorandum, addressed to John Walsh of the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State, informed the Department “to proceed as proposed in your [June 11] memorandum. The President agrees that the sale proposed is important to our security.”