89. Memorandum of Conversation1 2
SUBJECT:
- President’s Meeting with the Cabinet
[Omitted here is material unrelated to Diego Garcia.]
President: I would like Jim to say something about the controversy over Berbera. I claimed in a press conference last fall that the Soviet Union had a base there. They denied it; we showed our photos, and the Somalis asked some Congressmen to visit.
Schlesinger: The Soviets have had a tracking station there for some time. Recently our photo reconnaissance showed clear evidence of major construction, including the largest airfield on the Indian Ocean and a missile storage and handling facility. We took some releaseable photos. The upshot was that a group of reporters and eight Congressmen went there. [He described the visits] The upshot has been that American [Page 2] credibility is upheld and those who opposed Diego Garcia on the faith of Soviet statements are in disarray. Diego Garcia should therefore pass. It also indicates the success of verification by National Technical Means. Heretofore, many have argued that we could not rely on it without having on-site inspection.
President: We do have a reliable technical surveillance capability. The Congressmen have verified the reliability of that technical means through this trip. The important point is our verification capability has been enhanced.
[Omitted here is material unrelated to Diego Garcia.]
- Source: Ford Library, National Security Advisor, Memoranda of Conversations, 1973–77, Ford Administration, Box 13. Top Secret. The meeting was held in the White House Cabinet Room.↩
- Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger briefed the President about recent developments regarding Berbera and the status of Diego Garcia funding in Congress.↩