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

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

Washington, September 6, 1979

SUBJECT

• Your Question about Aid to Nicaragua² (U)

Since my return from vacation, I have worked with Owen and separately to get the State Department to come up with its promised package of aid to Central America, Nicaragua and the Caribbean. They have just sent a first draft of a Vance to the President memo.³ I will work on it with Owen, but there are certain critical and fundamental issues which are not addressed in that memo, and I need your guidance on whether I should press hard for these points. (S)

First, the memo is essentially directed toward providing assistance to Nicaragua, recommending $120M worth of balance of payments support. It recommends only $12M for El Salvador and $13M for Honduras and nothing for the Caribbean. It is clear that the Congress and the American public are increasingly exercised about the broader issue of instability in the Caribbean and Central America and the expansion of Cuban influence there. The SALT debate looks as if it will begin meandering down this road soon where it will collide with the debate in the Appropriations Committees on reprogramming $8.5M to Nicaragua. (S)

There is not only a great deal of concern about the lack of a coherent strategy to the region, there is also a question whether we are ideologically tilting to the left in the region. Asking for a large sum for Nicaragua and negligible amounts for Honduras and El Salvador will reinforce this feeling, which Charlie Wilson repeated to me last night. He said that, unless we ask for a fair amount of money for Salvador and Honduras, we may not get anything for Nicaragua. (S)

It seems to me that we are faced with a clear choice: we can continue to fight rear-guard actions on a piecemeal basis following every request we make for aid to countries in the two regions, or we can have Vance and Brown go up there with a coherent strategy to Central America and the Caribbean and show how our money can be used to pursue our overall interests in the region. Anything less will be ineffective in the region and on Capitol Hill. (S)

RECOMMENDATION

Therefore, I recommend that I continue to press for a more inclusive package from the State Department which includes aid for the Caribbean as well as Central America, and more money for Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and for regional programs.⁴ (S)

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 56, Nicaragua: 7/79–9/79: Secret. Sent for information. Pastor originally designated the memorandum as sent for action but crossed out the word “action” and substituted “information” above it. A copy was sent to Owen.
2. In a September 4 Evening Report to Brzezinski, Pastor described planning of the Conference of American Army Commanders scheduled for that November in Bogotá. Brzezinski wrote at the top of the page: “Aid to Nicaragua?” (Ibid.)
3. For the final version of the memorandum, see Document 480.
4. Brzezinski indicated his approval. Aaron wrote below: “I agree. It is on the ‛options list’ for the Soviet/Cuban issue as a possible ‛security supplemental’ for Central America and the Caribbean. DA.”