# President Ford–Henry Kissinger memcon (August 26, 1974)

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August 26, 1974 conversation covering the Middle East and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Declassified text with some remaining redactions. ARC #1552766
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION Presidential Libraries Withdrawal Sheet
WITHDRAWAL ID 017641
| REASON FOR WITHDRAWAL | National security restriction |
| TYPE OF MATERIAL | Memorandum of Conversation |
| CREATOR'S NAME | Ford, Kissinger, and Scowcroft |
| CREATION DATE | 08/26/1974 |
| VOLUME | 3 pages |
| COLLECTION/SERIES/FOLDER ID | 031400204 |
| COLLECTION TITLE | National Security Adviser. Memoranda of Conversations |
| BOX NUMBER | 5 |
| FOLDER TITLE | August 26, 1974 - Ford, Kissinger |
| DATE WITHDRAWN | 03/31/2004 |
| WITHDRAWING ARCHIVIST | GG |
REDACTED 10/30/09
page
​MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION

## PARTICIPANTS

    President Ford Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Secretary of State and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Lt. General Brent Scowcroft, Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

## DATE AND TIME

    Monday, August 26, 1974

## PLACE

    Oval Office
Kissinger: The Kurds are conducting a guerrilla war inside Iraq. If Iraq weren't tied down, they could put more into Syria. [Described the program.]
The danger is the Kurds will collapse. Redacted text - redacted text - redacted text - redacted text - redacted text - redacted text - redacted text - redacted text - redacted text - redacted text - redacted text
President: What does this do to our argument about supplying out of active units?
Kissinger: The numbers aren't that significant.
President: Let's go ahead.
Kissinger: The Iranians have asked about sending troops in. The CIA guy is opposed. We said it is their decision -- I favor it but I hate to be on record because of all the leaks.
President: I read that the Iraqi army is unhappy. Are the Kurds reliable?
​Kissinger: Yes. It is their existence at stake.
President: Redacted text - redacted text
Kissinger: Redacted text
On the Greeks. Karamanlis says he is in an impossible situation -- he is the U.S.'s best friend in Greece. That is true, but, he is not yet ready to accept help.
President: His terms are too high.
Kissinger: Yes. The Greeks and Clerides have accepted the Soviet proposal in principle. Everyone is sort of playing their own game now. We could even trigger the Soviets to make a specific proposal. There is no solution which wouldn't infuriate someone.
President: What do you recommend?
Kissinger: I think we should. The British want to make another move. They want to send someone here tomorrow. They want to get a mediation going. If you agree, I will communicate to ask him to get the EC involved. It is too early for us to get involved. We either get egg on our face or we end up beating on the Turks. The more who float the biregional deal, the better off we are eventually. It is better if we don't get stuck with the negotiation. The British will probably fail. If they do, I could offer to meet Karamanlis here or in Europe -- not to settle, but to trigger a negotiation, hopefully one we wouldn't have to run.
President: What is this 28%?
Kissinger: Sorry we are not in tighter control. They have 40%, now they have given up 12%. It is a big concession, but he shouldn't offer any concession.
President: Depending on where the 12% is.
Kissinger: I have asked him to show flexibility. Maybe I'll take a one, or two-day trip next week to meet with Karamanlis and Ecevit. If the British idea works, great, but it almost certainly will fail.
​Here, the Greek Community has quieted down. You maybe should meet with the AHEPA group just before I go out. Iavakos would be good to see if he is not so anathema to the Turks.
President: I have met him. He is smart.
Kissinger: I told him it had to be a bizonal federation and he agreed.
President: I will talk to them.
SECRET/NODIS/XGDS
page
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION Presidential Libraries Withdrawal Sheet
WITHDRAWAL ID 017642
| REASON FOR WITHDRAWAL | National security restriction |
| TYPE OF MATERIAL | Note |
| DESCRIPTION | Scowcroft's notes from August 26, 1974 meeting with Ford and Kissinger |
| CREATION DATE | 08/26/1974 |
| VOLUME | 2 pages |
| COLLECTION/SERIES/FOLDER ID | 031400204 |
| COLLECTION TITLE | National Security Adviser. Memoranda of Conversations |
| BOX NUMBER | 5 |
| FOLDER TITLE | August 26, 1974 - Ford, Kissinger |
| DATE WITHDRAWN | 03/31/2004 |
| WITHDRAWING ARCHIVIST | GG |
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
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