Office of the Historian

173. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (Ash)1

Washington, June 22, 1974.

SUBJECT

  • Management of the International Narcotics Control Program

Your memorandum of April 16 in which you expressed interest in the State Department’s role in managing a viable interagency international narcotics control program has been reviewed.2

As you know, early this year, I asked Ambassador Sheldon Vance to return from Zaire to be my senior advisor for international narcotics matters and to provide strong leadership both in that capacity and as Executive Director of the Cabinet Committee on International Narcotics Control.3 I have directed that the Department give Ambassador Vance full support to enable him to provide this leadership.

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At my direction, professional staff positions have been increased threefold and the secretarial staff doubled. Ambassador Vance is negotiating with AID and DEA for three additional professionals. The Interagency Regional Committees, chaired in each instance by a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, have been revitalized. Ambassador Vance has programmed in full the financial resources provided for international narcotics control for FY 1974 ($42.5 million).

Our primary aim continues to be the full engagement of the organization and resources of the Government both here and abroad. Only in this manner can the full potential of the program be achieved. In conclusion, let me say that Ambassador Vance looks forward to continued close coordination with your Office of Federal Drug Management.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 359, Narcotics, Vol. VI, January 1974. No classification marking.↩
  2. Attached but not printed.↩
  3. Vance was sworn in on April 1, succeeding Handley as Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State and Coordinator of International Narcotics Matters.↩