El Salvador
395. Memorandum From Paul Henze of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)
Source: National Security Council, Carter Administration Intelligence Files, Box I047, SCC–I on Covert Action, 23 October 1979. Secret; Sensitive; Outside System. Sent for information. In an October 18 memorandum to Brzezinski, Gregg noted that “the covert action plan from CIA for El Salvador is a good one” and that “Pastor feels it should be approved soonest and that to wait until the 25th will be too late.” (National Security Council, Carter Administration Intelligence Files, Box I025, El Salvador, 15 October 1979–11 February 1980) In an October 19 memorandum to Brzezinski, Gregg wrote: “Pursuant to my conversation with you yesterday, I called CIA and urged them, if at all possible, to move quickly in implementing a survey in El Salvador which would be a preliminary step to offering specific counterinterinsurgency aid to the new government (the assassination of the Inspector General in San Salvador indicates such aid may be necessary). CIA reports that their lawyers believe that no Presidential finding is needed for the survey to be undertaken.” Brzezinski replied by writing in the margin on October 20: “OK Proceed.” (Ibid.)
396. Summary of Conclusions of a Special Coordination Committee (Intelligence) Meeting
Source: National Security Council, Carter Intelligence Files, Box I047, SCC–I on Covert Action, 23 October 1979. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room.
397. Telegram From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Nicaragua/El Salvador Working Files, 8/79–1/81, Lot 81D64, El Salvador Telegrams, 10/79. Secret; Immediate. Sent for information Immediate to Caracas, Guatemala City, Managua, Mexico City, Panama City, San José, Tegucigalpa, USCINCSO Quarry Heights, and DIA.
398. Presidential Finding
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Congressional Affairs, Job 81M01032R: Subject Committee Files (1943–1980), Box 9, Folder 19: Covert Action Pres Find El Salvador. Secret; Sensitive.
399. Telegram From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Nicaragua/El Salvador Working Files, Lot 81D64, El Salvador, Telegrams, 11/79. Confidential; Immediate. Sent for information to Caracas, Guatemala City, Managua, Mexico City, Panama City, San José, Tegucigalpa, USCINCSO Quarry Heights, and DIA.
400. Telegram From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Nicaragua/El Salvador Working Files, Lot 81D64, El Salvador Telegrams, 12/79. Secret; Immediate; Exdis.
401. Memorandum From Robert Pastor of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) and the President’s Special Representative for Economic Summits (Owen)
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 20, El Salvador: 11/79–12/79. Secret. Sent for action. An unknown hand wrote at the top of the page: “RP. copy. Original hand-carried to ZB’s office Saturday morning (22nd) by Flo.”
402. Memorandum From Vice President Mondale to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 20, El Salvador: 11–12/79. Top Secret.
403. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 20, El Salvador: 1/80. Secret. A copy was sent to Mondale. Carter initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.
404. Memorandum From the National Intelligence Officer for Latin America (Davis) to Director of Central Intelligence Turner and the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (Carlucci)
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B00112R: Subject Files, Box 16, Folder 11: (SCC) Central America. Secret; Sensitive. Sent through the Deputy Director for National Foreign Assessment. Neither a completed version of the minutes nor a summary of conclusions for the January 18 SCC meeting have been found. Pastor’s handwritten notes are in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 20, El Salvador: 1/80.
405. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Material, Subject File, Box 34, Meetings—Vance/Brown/Brzezinski, 1/80–2/80. Secret. Sent for information. Brzezinski wrote at the top of the page: “We have to wait for Bowdler’s return.” Denend wrote at the top of the page: “1/23 ZB—this was used as a DR today. LD.”
406. Minutes of a Special Coordination Committee Meeting
Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 109, SCC–274, 2/15/80, El Salvador. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. For the summary of conclusions of the meeting, see Tab A, Document 407.
407. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron File, Box 11, El Salvador, 7/79–2/80. Secret. Carter initialed the first page of the memorandum.
408. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 20, El Salvador: 2/80. Secret. Sent for action. Carter wrote “Zbig” and initialed at the top of the page.
409. Memorandum From Robert Pastor of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) and the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Aaron)
Source: National Security Council, Carter Administration Intelligence Files, Box I025, El Salvador, 15 October 1979–11 February 1980. Secret; Sensitive. The date is handwritten. Brzezinski wrote at the top of the first page: “DA—good memo. Let’s speak before you chair. ZB.”
410. Memorandum for the Record
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B00112R: Subject Files, Box 16, Folder 11: (SCC) Central America. Secret. No other substantive record of the February 12 SCC meeting has been found. Drafted by [name not declassified] on February 13.
411. Memorandum From Robert Pastor of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski), the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Aaron), and the Special Representative for Economic Summits (Owen)
Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 109, SCC 274, 2/15/80, El Salvador. Secret. Sent for information. A stamped notation indicates that Brzezinski saw the memorandum.
412. Minutes of a Special Coordination Committee (Intelligence) Meeting
Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 109, SCC 274, 2/15/80, El Salvador. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. For Brzezinski’s summary of the meeting, see Document 413.
413. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 109, SCC 274, 2/15/80, El Salvador. Secret. Sent for action. Carter wrote at the top of the page: “Zbig—a) Without active involvement of Venezuela & others, our own efforts will likely be counterproductive. b) Does the press attend SCC meetings? J.C.” McMahon’s February 19 memorandum for record is in Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B00112R: Subject Files, Box 16, Folder 11: (SCC) Central America.
414. Memorandum From Robert Pastor of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)
Source: Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Material, Subject File, Box 32, Meetings—SCC 282: 2/28/80. Secret. Sent for action. An unknown hand wrote “urgent” at the top of the page. Brzezinski wrote to Denend at the top of the page: “LD—Remind me to call Mon. ZB.” This is presumably in reference to Aaron’s suggestion that Brzezinski call Miller; see footnote 8 below.
415. Telegram From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Source: Department of State, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Nicaragua/El Salvador Working Files, Lot 81D64, unlabeled folder. Secret; Niact Immediate; Exdis. Sent for information to Caracas, Guatemala City, Managua, Panama City, San José, Tegucigalpa, and Madrid.
416. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 21, El Salvador: 2/25–29/80. Confidential. Sent for information. Carter wrote at the top of the page: “Let Cy sign answer. J.”
417. Telegram From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P870148–1918. Secret; Niact Immediate; Nodis. Also sent from the Department as telegram 50823 to Panama City, Caracas, and San Salvador, February 26. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, N800004–0030) On another copy of the telegram, Brzezinski wrote the following to Pastor: “ RP I agree with the general approach. What do we now do to implement?” An unknown hand dated Brzezinski’s comments February 26. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 21, El Salvador: 2/25–29/80)
418. Memorandum From Robert Pastor of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)
Source: Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Material, Subject File, Box 37, Serial Xs—2/1/80–4/15/80. Secret. Sent for action. Pastor did not initial the memorandum. Copies were sent to Aaron and Owen. An unknown hand wrote “URGENT” at the top of the page and added “El Salvador” to the subject line.
419. Summary of Conclusions of a Special Coordination Committee Meeting
Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 109, SCC 279, El Salvador, 2/27/80. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. The minutes of the meeting have not been found. Pastor sent the summary to Brzezinski under a February 27 memorandum, requesting that Brzezinski send the minutes to Carter for approval under cover of a February 28 memorandum from Brzezinski to Carter. According to the February 28 memorandum, Carter approved the minutes. Brzezinski sent a copy of the minutes to Vance, Brown, McIntyre, Jones, and Helms under a March 3 memorandum, noting that the Department’s task force should follow up on the items discussed during the meeting and provide a report by March 7. (Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Material, Subject File, Box 32, Meetings—SCC 282, 2/28/80)
420. Telegram From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 20, El Salvador: 3/80. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Printed from a copy that was received in the White House Situation Room.
421. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 123, Vance, Miscellaneous Communications 1/80–4/80. Secret. Carter initialed the top of the memorandum.
422. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in El Salvador
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800126–0329. Confidential; Immediate; Exdis. Sent for information Immediate to Managua, Caracas, Bogotá, San José, Guatemala City, and Rome. Drafted by Wilson; cleared in ARA, ARA/CEN, S/P, HA, NSC, and S/S–O; approved by Vance.
423. Memorandum From Robert Pastor of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 21, El Salvador: 3/1–15/80. Secret. Sent for action.