Foreign Relations of the United States 1977–1980; Volume XV; Central America, 1977–1980

421. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter¹

Washington, March 7, 1980

SUBJECT

• Security Assistance for El Salvador

We have stopped all further action on the MTT teams unless the necessary multinational effort can be assembled.

You indicated that you had no objection to our sending riot control equipment to El Salvador. We have in fact done this last November in the amount of $212,000.

This morning² in our discussion of the MTT’s we did not address in detail the question of the military equipment ($4.5 million of FMS) we were planning to send to El Salvador to help them combat infiltration of men and equipment from other countries (principally across the Honduran border) and to deal with mounting guerrilla action inside the country. I would appreciate a clarification of your views on this aspect. The categories of equipment—mostly communication and transportation—that we planned to send are the following:

—radios

—generators and power supplies

—miscellaneous commo gear

—ambulances and trucks

—protection masks

—night vision devices

—bullet proof vests

—hand grenades and grenade launchers

Recommendation:

That we proceed with this equipment except for the hand grenades and grenade launchers.³

1. 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.
2. Reference is to Carter’s March 7 foreign policy breakfast that took place from 7:33 to 9:31 a.m. and was attended by Mondale, Vance, Brown, Cutler, Jordan, Donovan, and Brzezinski. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials, President’s Daily Diary) Brzezinski wrote to Pastor in a March 7 memorandum: “We should help to restore the Archbishop’s radio station. Perhaps AID or DOD can help. The MTT is not to go into El Salvador unless other Latin Americans go in with them. In the meantime, the Salvadorans can go to Panama and meet with them, if that is helpful to the Salvadorans. Please coordinate with State and Defense.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 21, El Salvador: 3/1–15/80)
3. Carter indicated his approval. Brzezinski returned the signed and approved copy to Vance under a March 8 memorandum. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 20, El Salvador: 3/80)