39. Memorandum for the Record1
SUBJECT
- Conversation with Dr. Brzezinski, Secretary Vance, Secretary Brown and Mr. Aaron, 8 December 1978, on Covert Action Finding (U)
1. I raised the issue of a possible covert action finding on the Beagle Channel in order to let us use our influence to keep the situation calm.2 There was instant and vehement rejection of this in view of the fact that the United States has overtly supported keeping the sides from going to combat. [less than 8 lines not declassified]
2. I think we should send a cable [less than 1 line not declassified] that it is the US open position to oppose military conflict over the Beagle Channel issue and that they can support that position [less than 1 line not declassified]
- Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B00112R, Box 15, Folder 41: DCI/DDCI Memrecs/Memos/Agendas of Brzezinski/Aaron Meetings, August–December 1978. Secret.↩
- The item on the Beagle Channel was a proposed new line item under the generic, or worldwide, section of the June 7, 1978, Omnibus Finding. In an attachment to a November 29 memorandum to Turner, Raymond proposed a Beagle Channel item that [less than 2 lines not declassified] that would “promote the peaceful resolution of the Beagle Channel dispute between Argentina and Chile.” Raymond recommended that this and other worldwide findings be submitted to the SCC for approval. On December 11, Turner approved a package of proposed findings for release to the SCC, which did not include the Beagle Channel item. (Central Intelligence Agency, Office of [text not declassified], Job 81M00980R: Subject Committee Files [1947–1978], Box 27, Folder 12: [text not declassified])↩
- Ratliff signed for Turner above Turner’s typed signature, according to Ratliff’s handwritten notation below the signature line.↩