668. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to Secretary of State Rogers and the Administrator of the Agency for International Development (Hannah)1 2
SUBJECT:
- Development of Southern Venezuela
During his recent State visit, President Caldera stressed to the President Venezuela’s keen interest in United States help for its CODESUR plan to develop the wilderness area of southern Venezuela. He particularly stressed the need for development of transportation facilities, both land and water.
The President is keenly interested in being helpful in this development plan. He informed President Caldera that he would immediately direct appropriate US agencies to discuss with the Venezuelan agencies how we can help.
The President has asked that State and AID initiate promptly discussions of the matter with the Venezuelan Government, calling upon other US agencies for participation and assistance as may appear appropriate. He desires an imaginative, responsive approach to this development project. He has asked that a status report on what is being done be submitted to him by September 1.
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 796, Country Files, Latin America, Venezuela, Vol. 1, 1969–1971. Confidential. Copies were sent to the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, and the President of the Export-Import Bank. The status report is published as Document 671.↩
- Kissinger passed on President Nixon’s directive to the Department of State and the Agency for International Development to develop a plan to assist Venezuela in implementing its CODESUR development program for Southern Venezuela and asked for a status report on what had been done by September 1.↩