Department of State

ORG 7

TELEGRAM

KISSINGER

CG CHRON POL S/S EMB 5

UNCLASSIFIED

14JAN74//6:42PM

Z 141550Z JAN 74 ZFF6

Classification

FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUESJR/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM FLASH 4563
INFO RUESAD/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV FLASH 9120
BT
UNCLAS STATE 007527

TO SEC 67

E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: OVIP (KISSINGER)
SUBJECT: PRESS MATERIAL

HEREWITH FULL TEXT THIS WEEK TIME MAGAZINE TREATMENT MIDEAST MISSION PAGE 52 UNDER HEADING "KISSINGER TO THE RESCUE, AGAIN":

FOR THE THIRD TIME SINCE THE CESSION OF THE MIDDLE EAST WAR IN OCTOBER, SECRETARY OF STATE HENRY KISSINGER LAST WEEK FLEW OFF ON A FRENETIC VISIT TO THE UNSETTLED AREA. HIS OBJECTIVE: TO PERSUADE ISRAEL AND EGYPT TO AGREE ON A DISENGAGEMENT OF FORCES THAT WILL PROTECT THE CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT HE HELPED NEGOTIATE. KISSINGER ALSO AIMED TO SEE THAT THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS IN GENEVA CONTINUE.

WASHINGTON TRIED TO PLAY DOWN ANY SENSE OF URGENCY ABOUT THE SECRETARY'S TRIP. HIS VISITS TO ISRAEL AND EGYPT WERE MERELY, IN THE POLYSYLLABISM OF STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN GEORGE S. VEST, "A SUPPORTING, CATALYTIC ADJUNCT" TO THE GENEVA TALKS. BUT A KISSINGER AIDE DESCRIBED THE PERILS OF PERSONAL DIPLOMACY IN WORDS THAT WERE MORE GERMANE: "THE STYLE AND INCLINATION OF THE MAN IS TO GO AND DO IT HIMSELF. BUT ONCE YOU HAVE SENT THE BIGGEST ASPIDISTRA OF THEM ALL, YOU ARE OUT OF ASPIDISTRAS."

THE LINKS. ACTUALLY, THE BIGGEST ASPIDISTRA HAD BEEN SENT BECAUSE THE TALKS WERE BOGGING DOWN. THE MEN CHARGED WITH PLOTTING PRELIMINARY MILITARY DISENGAGEMENT AT GENEVA --ISRAELI GENERAL MORDECHAI GUR AND GENERAL TAHA EL MAGDOUB OF EGYPT--HAD DONE WELL ENOUGH WITH THE "TECHNICAL MODELS" THAT THEY PROPOSED FOR SEPARATING FORCES IN SINAI. THE DIFFICULTY WAS THAT ON BOTH SIDES, THE PROPOSED MILITARY MOVES WERE INEXTRICABLY CONNECTED TO POLITICAL DECISIONS THAT NEITHER GENERAL COULD MAKE.

UNCLASSIFIED

Classification

FORM FS-412(M)
4-68

PAGE 2 STATE 007527

UNCLASSIFIED

THUS, AFTER TWO MEETINGS LAST WEEK, TOTALING 3 1/2 HOURS AT GENEVA, S PALAIS DES NATIONS, THE MILITARY TALKS ADJOURNED AND DISCUSSIONS SHIFTED HOME.

THE POLITICAL COMPLICATION ON EITHER SIDE WAS THE SAME: WHAT DIPLOMATS REFER TO AS LINKAGE. ISRAEL WAS PREPARED TO PULL BACK 20 MILES FROM THE SUEZ CANAL TO POSITIONS AT SINAI'S MITLA AND GIDDI PASSE S. IN RETURN, JERUSALEM EXPECTED EGYPT TO THIN OUT ITS ARMOR AND ARILERY IN SINAI, REOPEN THE SUEZ CANAL AND, AS A BUFFER, REPOPULATE ITS PORTS OF ISMAILIA, SUEZ AND PORT SAID WITH CIVILIANS WHO FLED THE BITTER CROSS-CANAL BOMBARDMEMQS OF THE POST-1967 WAR OF ATTRITION. ISRAEL ALSO INSISTED THAT EGYPT ISSUE A DECLARATION FORSWEARING FURTHER BELIGERENCY. FOR ITS PART, EGYPT WANTED ISRAEL TO CARRY OUT A UNILATERAL WITHDRAWAL BEYOND THE PASSES AND DECLARE THAT THIS PULLBACK WAS A FORERUNNER OF AN EVENTUAL WITHDRAWAL FROM ALL ISRAELI-OCCUPIED EGYPTIAN TERRITORY.

NEITHER SIDE WAS WILLING TO GIVE IN ON THESE LINKS. IN CAIRO, REPORTED TIME CORRESPONDENT WILTON WYNN, EGYPTIANS WERE OPENLY IMPATIENT AT THE SLOW PACE OF NEGOTIATIONS. AMONG OTHER CONSEQUENCES, THE LACK OF HPOGRESS IS HOLDING UP A MASSIVE POSTWAR RESTRUCTURING OF THE EGYPTIAN ECONOMY, WHICH EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT ANWAR SADAT HAS BEEN PLANNING AT ASWAN. TO CARRY OUT THIS ECONOMIC RETOOLING AND TAKE OVER THE PREMIER'S JOB THAT HE HAS ALSO HELD SINCE LAST MARCH, SADAT IS EXPECTED TO CHOOSE DEPUTY PREMIER ABDEL AZIZ HEGAZI, 51, A RESPECTED FORMER BUSINESS PROFESSOR WHO ALREADY SUPERVISES THE NATION'S FINANCE, ECONOMY AND FOREIGN TRADE.

ISRAELIS, MEANWHILE, WERE BECOMING INCREASINGLY AGITATED OVER CEASE-FIRE VIOLATIONS BY EGYPT AND SYRIA; LAST WEEK THREE MORE ISRAELI SOLDIERS WERE KILLED AND 15 WOUNDED. SUCH LOSSES MAKE I MORE DIFFICULT FOR PREMIER GOLDA MEIR, IN THE WAKE OF A NATIONAL ELECTION THAT RETURNED HERE TO POWER WITH A REDUCED PLURALITY, TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO CONTINUING NEGOTIATIONS.

THE TEL AVIV NEWSPAPER YEDIOT AHARONOT, ECHOING A WIDE-SPREAD FEELING, DEMANDED: "WHY CAN'T WE REACT IMMEDIATELY TO THE PROVOCATION? SO WE HAVE TO OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM WASHINGTON TO PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST MURDER?"

BECAUSE THE TWO ANTAGONISTS WERE SO FAR APART, AMERICAN OFFICIALS FLYING TO EGYPT WITH KISSINGER INSISTED LAST WEEK, THE ISRAELIS AND EGYPTIANS THEMSELVES HAD REQUESTED THAT THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE TAKE A DIRECT HAND IN DISCUSSIONS. EXPLAINED ONE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT: "NEITHER SIDE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE OTHER IS TRYING TO DO. BOTH MIGHT FIND IT EASIER TO HAVE AN OUTSIDER INTERPRET THEM." ARRIVING IN ASWAN, WHERE SADAT WAS RECUPERING FROM BRONCHITIS, KISSINGER IMMEDIATELY ARRANGED TO SHUTTLE BY AIR BETWEEN THERE AND JERUSALEM, WHERE

UNCLASSIFIED

["Department of State", "TELEGRAM", "Z 131533Z JAN 74 ZFF6\nFM SECSTATE WASHDC\nTO RUESJR/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM FLASPJ4523\nINFO RUESAD/AMEMBASSYS TEL AVIV FLASH 9110\nBT\nUNCLAS : STATE 007446", "JAN 13, 1974", "1834", "TOSEC 45", "E.O. 11652: N/S\nTAGS: OVIP (KISSINGER)\nSUBJECT: PRESS MATERIAL", "HEREWITH LAURENCE STERN-MICHAEL GETLER BYLINER SUNDAY\nWASHINGTON POST USED AS SIDEBAR TO WOODWARD-BERNSTEIN LEAD\nARTICLE. IS HEADED \"THE INFIGHTING\":", "A SECRET DIPLOMACY THAT REVERSED THE MAIN CURRENTS OF\nUNITED STATES FOREIGN POLICY LED TO EXTRAORDINARY\nSTRUGGLES FOR INFORMATION BETWEEN THE PENTAGON AND THE WHITE\nHOUSE DURING 1971.", "THE DIPLOMACY, WHICH EMBRACED A WIDE RANGE OF INITI-\LATIVES INCLUDING APPROACHEMENT WITH THE SOVIET UNION AND\nCHINA AS WELL AS A BREAK-THROUGH ON STRATEGIC ARMS\nNEGOTIATIONS, WAS LIMITED TO THE PRESIDENT, HIS\nNATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS ADVISER, HENRY A. KISSINGER AND\nA FEW STAFF AIDE S.", "ONE HIGH-RANKING FORMER OFFICIAL SAID THE EXTRAORDI-\NARY INTRA-GOVERNMENTAL SECRECY PRECAUTIONS APPLIED BY\nKISSINGER CONSTITUTED \"A WAR AGAINST THE BUREAUCRACY TO A\nREMARKABLE DEGREE.\"", "ANOTHER FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY-MAKER BASED\nIN THE WHITE HOUSE SAID, \"IT WAS ALWAYS THE OPERATING\nPRINCIPLE THAT IMPORTANT THINGS WERE KEPT OUT OF THE\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SYSTEM COMPLETELY.\" THIS EX-\nCLUDED THE MILITARY FROM VIRTUALLY ALL ACCESS TO THE NEW\nDIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES.", "THE ATOMSPHERE OF PRIVACY THAT ENVELOPED THE NIXON\nADMINISTRATION'S FOREIGN AND NATIONAL SECURITY POLICIES\nEXTENDED TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND THE ARMS CONTROL AND", "UNCLASSIFIED", "Classification", "FORM FS-412H)\n4-68"]

AGE 2

UNCLASSIFIED

STATE 7446

DISARMAMENT AGENCY, WHICH WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING
STRATEGIC ARMS POLICY.

"THERE WAS A STRONG FEELING THAT THE WHOLE NSC MECHANISM WAS A SHELL GAME MANAGED BY HENRY," SAID A FORMER OFFICIAL.

KISSINGER'S ADVOCATES, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARGUE THAT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION'S NEW OBJECTIVES IT WAS VITAL TO OPERATE SECRETLY IN ORDER TO SHUT OUT THOSE IN THE BUREAUCRACY WHO WERE COMMITTE TO TRA- DITIONAL COLD WAR DOCTRINE.

IT WAS IN THIS CONTEXT, ACCORDING TO INFORMED OFFICIALS, THAT THE UNAUTHORIZED TRANSFER OF NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MINUTES AND DOCUMENTS WAS CARRIED OUT BY PENTAGON MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

THE MATERIAL SPECIFICALLY INCLUDED TRANSCRIPTS OF DELIBERATIONS BY THE NSC'S WASHINGTON SPECIAL ACTION GROUP (WASAG) ON THE INDO-PAKISTANI WAR IN DECEMBER, 1971. BUT IT INCLUDED OTHER SENSITIVE RECORDS FROM THE VARIOUS NSC SUBCOMMITTEES OVER WHICH KISSINGER PRESIDED AS SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS.

IN A NEW DEVELOPMENT YESTERDAY THE WHITE HOUSE BRANDED AS "INACCURATE" A CHICAGO SUN-TIMES REPORT THAT KISSINGER ORDERED A PHONE TAPPED IN 1971 IN THE OFFICE OF THEN-SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MELVIN R. LAIRD.

AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES INSISTED YESTERDAY THAT THE REPORT ALLIDES TO THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED TAPPING OF THE TELEPHONE OF LT. GEN. ROBERT E. PURSLEY, FORMER SENIOR MILITARY ASSISTANT TO LAIRD. THE PURSLEY TAP WAS ONE OF 17 FBI WIRETAPS ORDERED BY THE PRESIDENT AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THEN ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN N. MITCHELL AND WITH KISSINGER. THE LIST INCLUDED 13 GOVERNMENT OFFICIA LS AND FOUR NEWSPAPER MEN.

THE SUN-TIMES ALSO REPORTED A WIRELESS MICROPHONE WAS PLACED IN THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF WAYNE SMITH, FORMER NSC STAFF ASSISTANT TO KISSINGER. THERE WERE SUSPICIONS, THE NEWSPAPER SAID, THAT THE BUGGING WAS CARRIED OUT BY MILITARY OFFICIALS.

SMITH SAID YESTERDAY THE FIRST WORD HE HAD ON THE BUG WAS THE SUN-TIMES RDORT. HE SAID THE THOUGHT NEVER OCCURRED TO HIM THAT HE MIGHT BE A TARGET FOR EAVESDROPPING WHILE HE WAS IN THE GOVERNMENT. BUT AFTER THE SURFACING OF THE WATERGATE AFFAIRS HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE THOUGHT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE TARGET OF THE EAVESDROPPING.

UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 3

UNCLASSIFIED

STATE 7446

HIS OFFICE WAS A FOCAL POINT FOR BOTH STRATEGIC ARMS AND VIETNAM POLICY.

SMITH STRESSED HOWEVER, THAT HE HAD NO EVIDENCE AT ALL THAT HIS OFFICE HAD IN FACT BEEN BUGGED.

THE YEAR 1971 WAS A CRITICAL ONE FOR ALL THE MAJOR LINES OF INNOVATION IN NIXON ADMINISTRATION FOREIGN POLICY.

ON MAY 20, 1971, PRESIDENT NIXON AND THE SOVIET PARTY LEADER LEONID I. BREZHNEV MADE A DRAMATIC JOINT ANNOUNCE-MENT THAT WAS TO BREAK THE DEADLOCK ON THE FIRST STAGE OF THE STRATEGIC ARMS LIMITATION AGREEMENT. KNOWLEDGEABLE OFFICIALS CONTEND THAT LAIRD, SECRETARY OF STATE WILLIAM P. ROGERS AND GERARD SMITH, CHIEF OF THE SALT NEGOTIATING DELEGATION, WERE KEPT IN THE DARK UNTIL THE EVE OF THE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT.

"A LOT OF NOSES GOT OUT OF JOINT ON THAT ONE," SAID AN AUTHORATIVE SOURCE.

KISSINGER'S DEALINGS WITH THE SOVIET UNION ON SALT

BE WERE OF CRITICAL CONCERN TO THE PENTAGON. U.S. STRATEGIC MILITARY POLICY TOWARD THE SOVIET UNION IS AN IMPORTANT DETERMINATION OF THE SIZE OF THE PENTAGON'S BUDGET, ITS MISSILE FORCE AND ITS TARGETING PROGRAM.

THE ARMY'S MAIN ROLE IS TO CONTAIN THE SOVIET UNION IN EUROPE. THE NAVY'S IS TO KEEP OPEN THE ATLANTIC SEA LANES. AND THE PRIMARY ROLE OF THE AIR FORCE IS TO MAINTAIN PARITY IF NOT DOMINANCE IN AIR SPACE AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION, THE ONLY WORLD POWER WITH MISSILE AND BOMBER DELIVERY SYSTEMS CAPABLE OF DESTROYING THE UNITED STATES.

UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, ACCORDING TO ONE FORMER OFFICIAL, THE MILITARY "WAS SURPRISINGLY DOCILE" IN ITS DEALINGS WITH THE NSC. "I AM NOT AWARE OF WHAT I WOULD CALL A REALLY BRUISING STRUGGLE . . . YOU COULD NEVER HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THE ADMIRAL'S REVOLT (OF THE POST-WORLD WAR II PERIOD) OVER THE BIG BOMBER," HE SAID.

KISSINGER ANTICIPATED DEEP AND ORGANIZED OPPOSITION TO HIS POLICIES, A KNOWLEDGEABLE FORMER OFFICIAL REPORTED, BUT IT NEVER FORMED. "MUCH OF THE BITTERNESS AND BITCHINESS IN THE BUREAUCRACY WAS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT IT WAS A RIGGED GAME AND THAT THEY WOULD NEVER KNO W UNTIL THE FINAL MOMENT WHAT THE GAME WAS," THIS FORMER OFFICIAL SAID.

UNCALASSIFIED