Office of the Historian

464. Memorandum From Robert Pastor of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, April 4, 1979

SUBJECT

  • PRM on Central America (C)

The situation in Central America is growing more and more ominous, and if anything, the attached PRM2 should have begun months ago, as we had originally requested of the State Department. The Cubans, in my mind, have clearly escalated their degree of involvement in Central America. Reliable intelligence reports suggest that Castro met for an extended period of time last month with the three leaders of the Sandinistas factions.3 Apparently, he was successful in persuading them to unify their efforts, and the result is an escalation in violence in Nicaragua. (S)

What is more disturbing is that the Cubans are encouraging the Sandinistas to increase their cooperation with the guerrilla groups in Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. The time for a more active strategy for the United States in Central America is now.4 I have drafted a PRM and it is cleared by State. Vaky requested that I delete a paragraph which requested recommendations on ways the USG, working through international organizations or directly through U.S. organizations like the Federal Election Commission, could assist governments in Central America to manage free elections or, if requested, monitor or supervise them. He asked that I send this item as a separate tasker, and unless you object, I will draft such a memorandum for Christine to send to Tarnoff.5 (S)

The State Department has already begun work on the Central America PRM; your signing of the PRM at Tab I will formalize the process.6 You will recall that you originally approved a PRM on Central [Page 1198] America in a memo I sent you on October 23, 1978 (Tab A); State requested a delay at that time.7 Subsequently, the President approved the idea of a Central American PRM in a memo that the Vice President sent to him on April 2, 1979, after his trip to Latin America.8 (S)

RECOMMENDATION: That you sign the memorandum at Tab I.9 (Tab A should not be forwarded.)

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 54, PRM/NSC–46 (1). Secret. Sent for action. Aaron wrote at the top of the page: “Bob—Cut down the PRM to a page and half. DA” and “substance is OK. DA.”↩
  2. Attached but not printed is a draft PRM on Central America.↩
  3. Not found.↩
  4. An unknown hand underlined the word “now.”↩
  5. Not found.↩
  6. Under an April 14 memorandum, Tarnoff sent Brzezinski a copy of the Department’s suggested revised text for the PRM on Central America. (Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 54, PRM/NSC–46 (1))↩
  7. Tab A is not attached. See Document 463.↩
  8. Not found.↩
  9. Brzezinski neither approved nor disapproved of this recommendation. For the final version of the PRM, see Document 465.↩