333. Minutes of the Secretary of State’s Staff Meeting, Washington, February 6, 1975, 8 a.m..1 2
Secretary’s 8:00 a.m. Staff Meeting
Thursday, February 6, 1975
Present:
- D- Mr. Ingersoll
- E- Mr. Robinson
- T- Mr. Maw
- M- Ambassador Brown
- C- Mr. Sonnenfeldt
- AF- Mr. Mulcahy, Acting
- ARA- Mr. Rogers
- EA- Mr. Habib
- EUR- Mr. Hartman
- NEA- Mr. Atherton
- INR- Mr. Hyland
- S/P- Mr. Lord
- EB- Mr. Boeker, Acting
- S/PRS- Mr. Anderson
- S/AM- Ambassador McCloskey
- PM- Mr. Vest
- IO- Ambassador Blake, Acting
- H- Mr. Jenkins, Acting
- L- Mr. Leigh
- S/S- Mr. Springsteen
[Omitted is material unrelated to the Philippines.]
SECRETARY KISSINGER: What is going on there?
MR. HABIB: The rebellion is getting serious. Marcos is quite concerned. They are now approaching us for arms to equip separate battalions.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: What is our position conciliation and not confrontation?
MR. HABIB: That cable also came in just early this morning.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: Do we say conciliation and not confrontation with the rebels?
MR. HABIB: He tried conciliation in a meeting
SECRETARY KISSINGER: No — just to get you know my sympathy. I was being sarcastic. I am in favor of giving him arms.
MR. HABIB: I would be prepared to promote [Page 3] conciliation if possible.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: I want you to promote giving him arms.
MR. HABIB: This is one of those circumstances that unless he shows a bit of strength —
SECRETARY KISSINGER: I agree with you.
MR. HABIB: — he is not going to resolve this question; especially when the rebels are getting their arms from Libya.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: Sullivan can’t be ambassador somewhere without having a war. Did you ship him his uniform?
MR. HABIB: He doesn’t get any uniform for this.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: What are you doing about arms?
MR. HABIB: These are battalion level, small arms. They are willing to pay cash for them.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: In what time frame can you do it?
MR. HABIB: Tomorrow.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Transcripts of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Staff Meetings, 1973–1977, E5177, Box 6. Secret. Telegram 1667, February 6, from Manila describes GOP weapons requests. (National Archives, Record Group 59, Central Foreign Policy Files) Telegram 2806, March 5, from Manila reports on the successful fulfillment of most of the GOP requests. (Ibid.)↩
- Kissinger and Habib discussed the Philippines’ request for weapons to combat the insurgency.↩