223. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Dominican Republic1
97375. Subject: Dominican Elections. Ref: (A) Santo Domingo 1867; (B) Santo Domingo 1768.2
1. Department appreciates Embassy’s thorough reporting and analysis of Dominican election campaign, particularly on issues related to Dominican military attitudes. We concur fully with the initiatives the Embassy has undertaken to make clear USG concern that the elections be free and fair, our complete neutrality with respect to candidates, and our intent to maintain cordial relations with any government which may emerge from free elections.
2. As elections approach, Embassy should continue to take appropriate opportunities to make U.S. positions known, particularly to the Dominican military, without injecting the U.S. in the campaign. Also, as Chief of Mission considers it appropriate, the Embassy should make clear to any ranking Dominican military officers whose attitudes or intentions may be questionable that any actions to frustrate free elections would impact severely and adversely on U.S.-Dominican bilateral relations.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780163–0182. Confidential; Limdis. Drafted by de Santillana; cleared by Shelton, Hewitt, and Schneider; approved by Bushnell.↩
- See Document 222 and footnote 3 thereto.↩