Page 308 - Argentina - Carter, Regan, and Bush VP

No Objection To Declassification 2009/08/03 : NLC-24-52-8-3-7 i.

MEMORANDUM

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
SECRET- May 16, 1977

MEMORANDUM FOR: ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI

FROM: NORTH-SOUTH

SUBJECT: Evening Report

ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
T
Daily Activities instructions APPLY State Department review
completed
CP as tor)

1. Friday night I spoke at the American University on U.S . human
rights policy to Latin America, and met with a somewhat skeptical but
quite knowledgeable audience. Questions were raised about our policies
in Argentina, Uruguay, and particularly Chile. One person asked me
whether or not the President would meet with Eduardo Frei, or whether
our policy was to deal solely with the military junta. I begged off answering
those, questions.

2. Met with Diego Aria, Minister of Communications of Venezuela, and
his special assistant Antonio Hererra, to discuss President Perez' trip.*
In particular, we focused on the agenda of the trip, and Aria listed the
obvious issues with the exception of human rights. Aria said that the U.S .
has now suddenly discovered human rights, but Perez has been advocating
a more forthright policy on human rights for many years. In addition, he
said that he thought that the idea of a Western Hemisphere Energy Institute
in which the U.S ., Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and perhaps
Argentina, could pool their technology in or Jer to increase the production
of petroleum and alternative energy resources was a good one.

3. The informal and small interagency meeting involving people from
Treasury, CIA, State, and Jessica Tuchman and I from NSC, to discuss
future U.S . policy to Chile and in particular the question whether the
President should meet with Eduardo Frei went very well. Frei has served
us a very difficult decision. If Carter doesn't meet with him, some will
analogize the snub with Ford's decision not to meet with Solzheintsyn.
If he does meet with Frei, the Pinochet regime will unquestionably take
it as an afront with the likelihood of harsh consequences. Q will send
you a memorandum on this shortly.)

4. Prepared and attended Mrs . Carter's briefing an Latin American, and
worked on briefing book.
DECLASSIFIED
E.0.13526
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