425. Letter From the Ambassador to Jamaica (De Roulet) to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Haig)1 2
Dear General Al:
I telephoned you a couple of times while I was in Washington walking the halls of the State Department, simply to inform you I was still alive and functioning as the Ambassador in Kingston. Taking your and Dr. Kissinger’s advice, I have been running Kingston to the best of my ability and letting the chips fall where they may.
We are probably coming into a rough period with the forthcoming elections which are not so much because we don’t have our bets hedged on both sides, but more because the losing side is very likely to radicalize.
[text not declassified] as far as I was concerned he could close the open end account of our possible interest in the forthcoming elections as both sides are now adequately financed and the Prime Minister asked me to pass on this message. Armed with this, I was able to sell our neutrality to the opposition party in exchange for a promise not to introduce bauxite as a campaign issue and not to seek equity participation if they win the elections. This was a tricky piece of business and good fun. I may lose in the end, but it didn’t cost anything. If I can serve you in any way, please let me know.
Yours very truly,
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 786, Country Files, Latin America, Jamaica, Vol. I. Secret. Haig wrote on the letter: “Arnie, reply please for my signature.” In an October 23 letter to de Roulet, Haig replied: “It seems that you have things under control in Kingston, and I will pass on to Dr. Kissinger the information you provided.” (Ibid.)↩
- Ambassador De Roulet reported on the upcoming Jamaican national elections, the potential for radicalization, and U.S. neutrality during the electoral process.↩