Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–11, Part 2, Documents on South America, 1973–1976

236. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, July 12, 1976, 3 p.m.

PARTICIPANTS

• Brent Scowcroft, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
• Admiral Jose Toribio Merino, Chilean Junta Member
• Manuel Trucco, Chilean Ambassador to the United States
• Rear Admiral Ronald McIntyre, Chilean Naval Attaché
• Mary Brownell, NSC Staff (Notetaker)

Admiral Merino said Chile is grateful for what the United States has done for it. He pointed out, however, that there is a continuing problem which the United States must resolve with regard to the supply of naval spares to maintain deteriorating equipment previously purchased from the United States. Chile can buy the materials abroad but they are much, much more expensive. He noted that the United States supplies Argentina and Peru, but not Chile.

Scowcroft noted that this is a very difficult situation for us because the supply of military equipment to Chile has become a highly emotional issue with the Congress.

Merino expressed concern about the possibility of a Peruvian attack against Chile, noting that Peru has vastly superior military forces and equipment and is receiving Soviet and Cuban support. He added that if Chile should be attacked, we could expect increasing problems also in neighboring nations such as Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Peru.

Scowcroft said we have done the best we could for Chile and in fact had come out better than we had expected earlier in the year would be possible. We were able to get the pipeline approved. He added that our worst problems with the Congress may have passed and some additional movement may be possible later in the year. He also noted that we are aware the Chileans have taken some positive steps. We are aware of Chile’s problems and of their needs and would be willing to do what we can to help Chile acquire these needed spares elsewhere if that would be useful.

Ambassador Trucco returned to the mention of positive actions which have been taken by Chile and said that Chile will be doing more. Within 35 days he expects new constitutional acts to be issued which will contain human rights protections. He also brought up the Harkin Amendment requiring the United States to vote negatively in international financial institutions against loans to countries that have been sanctioned on human rights and do not cooperate with the UN or the OAS on human rights. He stressed that Chile has not been sanctioned and pointed to debate on the issue at the OAS General Assembly in Santiago as evidence Chile is cooperating with the OAS. Chile is still talking with the UN regarding a possible Working Group visit, but the Working Group is trying to make it as difficult as possible for Chile to accept a visit by taking actions such as scheduling its first meeting on the Chile human rights question in Mexico—the only country which refused to attend the General Assembly. He handed Scowcroft a copy of a letter to the President of the UN Commission on Human Rights seeking to stop that meeting in Mexico. The Ambassador said Chile is trying to keep open the possibility of a meeting with the Working Group, which would help solve the problem for the United States as well as for Chile.

In response to comments on Cuban presence in Peru, Scowcroft noted that any information on this subject would be helpful to us. While we have heard reports of Cuban military presence, we have no confirmation of anything that would approach the numbers mentioned.

Admiral Merino expressed appreciation for the meeting.

1. Summary: During a meeting with Scowcroft and Merino on the issue of spare parts for military equipment purchased from the United States, Trucco discussed improvements in Chile’s human rights record.

   Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversations, Box 20, July 12, 1976, Scowcroft, Chilean Admiral Jose Toribio Merino. Confidential. The meeting took place in Scowcroft’s office at the White House. In a July 9 memorandum, Brownell informed Scowcroft that Merino would want to discuss congressional restrictions on arms sales to Chile; the pipeline of arms sales to Chile; and the Chilean Government’s human rights practices. (Ibid., Presidential Country Files for Latin America, Box 3, Chile, 3)