358. Memorandum for the Record1 2
SUBJECT:
- Minutes of the Meeting of the 40 Committee, 16 September 1971
PRESENT:
- Mr. Kissinger, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Packard, Mr. Ray S. Cline, Lt. Gen. Richard T. Knowles, and Mr. Helms
- Colonel Richard Kennedy, Mr. Arnold Nachmanoff, Mr. Thomas Karamessines, and Mr. William Broe were present for Item 1.
1. Guatemala
a. The meeting began with a briefing by Mr. Broe [text not declassified] on the extra-legal behavior of the Guatemalan Security Service in using the police function to eliminate political opponents and even those alleged to be political opponents of President Arana.
b. The Chairman asked what this had to do with the 40 Committee. Other principals queried how this was connected with the MAP program. Mr. Nachmanoff explained [text not declassified] because a proposed increase in MAP support to President Arana’s regime from $1.2 to $2 million was to be discussed on the Hill the following week, the item was on the agenda due to embarrassment potential, i.e. the inevitable question might arise as to why the U.S. is increasing military a police aid at this time to one of the most repressive governments in the hemisphere.
c. The Chairman and some of the other principals felt that this subject did not properly come under covert action and should be discussed between State and Defense in another forum.
[Omitted here is discussion unrelated to Guatemala.]
- Source: National Security Council Files, NSC Intelligence Files, Minutes of 40 Committee, 1971, Box 7. Secret; Eyes Only. The memorandum was drafted on September 24 by Jessup. Copies were sent to Mitchell, Packard, Johnson, Moorer, and Helms.↩
- The issue of the extra-legal activities of the Guatemalan Government Security Service was raised in a 40 Committee meeting, but the Chairman and some of the other principals felt that this subject did not come under covert action and should be discussed between the Departments of State and Defense in another forum.↩