LETTER TO MR. WILLIAM E. COLBY FROM CHARLES H. PERCY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M01009A003100010051-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 21, 2006
• Sequence Number: 51
• Publication Date: January 3, 1974
• Content Type: LETTER

SAM -J. ERVIN J
-JOHN L. MCCLELLJIN, ARK ARK rYF,P,lease 2006/11/21: CIA-RDP80MO1009AO0310001
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HENRY M. JACKSON, WASH. JACOB K. J N.Y.
EDMUNO S. MUSKIE, MAINE EDWARD J. 0FINEY, FLA.
ABRAHAM RIIi1COFF, CONN. WILLIAM B. SAXBE. OHIO
LEE'METCALF, MONT. W4LUA4N V. ROT", JACC, DEL ///~~~
JAMES B. ALLEN, AU. BILL BROOK. TENN. cni cb Zfa1e Zenctle
U WTON CHILES, FU.
SAM NUNN. GA.
WALTER D. HUDDLESTON, KY.
ROBERT BLAND SMITH, JR.
CHIEF COUNSEL AND STAFF DIRECTOR
f :;= T.7 i t ~.. `.:;3 I ^: F. Colby
D'sector o Central Into 1.1
^.~.1trai .:,:it~lligence Agin-
IJasl.ngto i, D. C.
Dear ??Ir. Colby:
COMMITTEE ON
GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20510
Enclosed is my summary of a discussion I had with Victor Isakov,
Counselor of the Soviet Embassy, on December i, 1973. I thought
it might be of interest to you.
Sincerely yours,
G.4-. /of .
Charles H. Percy!sar
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Summary of Discussion Between Senator Charles Percy and Victor Isakov
of the Soviet Embassy, December 10, 1973
At noon on Monday, December 10, 1973, Victor Isakov, Counselor of
the Soviet Embassy, came in to see me in my office at his request.
Present were Mr. Isakov, ray foreign affairs assistant Scott Collen, and
myself. The meeting lasted about 20 minutes.
Isakov seemed to be concerned with three issues: 1) the future of
the Nixon presidency, 2) the prospects for the 1976 party nominations, and
3) the Jackson amendment to the trade bill.
On the question related to the Nixon presidency, I expressed my
view that the President is still very much in charge, particularly in the
field of foreign affairs, and that his leadership in this area continues
to be acknowledged. When pressed by Isakov on the prospects for
impeachment or resignation, I stated that I had no special information on
this subject, that impeachment is the prerogative of the House of Repre-
sentatives and that resignation is a prerogative of the President. But
I doubted that either one would occur.
Isakov said clearly that the Government of the Soviet Union
considers President Nixon's conLinunnce in office to be important and
desirable. He asserted that Pr sidcnt Nixon is considered by the Soviet
Government to be the most reasonable and cooperative American President.
since FDR.. He said he was uncertain as to what policies Gerald Ford
might follow if he became president, so I stated my own belief that
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Ford would be inclined to carry fork-.ward President Ni.xon's foreign
policy, including detente. In fact the foreign policy initiatives of
President Nixon and Secretary Kissinger are so fully supported by the
Americ,in pe_op1e, particularly the policy re~;ardii~g the USSR, that no
Future President, be he Republican or Domocrat, t7ould reverse it
providing continued progress is made and there is benefit gained by
both countries.
On the question relating to party nominations in 1976, I replied
by stating my view that the situation is fluid in both parties and by
mentioning the major contenders for nomination. He expressed no
attitudes about individuals and did not pursue the question.
He was much more concerned about the prospects for the Jackson
amendment to the trade bill and showed some controlled agitation when
I predicted that the amendment would carry by an overwhelming margin
unless the Soviet Government modified its emigration policies. He said
that the Soviet Government also must contend with public opinion, and
that the people of the Soviet Union regard those who wish to emigrate
as "traitors".
I stated that the President and the State Department were doing
their best to defeat the Jackson amon'lment, but they would not succeed.
The only way to defeat the amendment, I said, was for the Soviet Union
to end the harassment of those who apply for emigratiou and to allow
increasing numbers of Soviet citizens to leave. I said that the Soviet
Government is strong enough at home and its prestige in the Arab nations
is sufficiently high tha.t it can afford to let Soviet Jews leave.
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Before the meeting ended, I assured Isakov of my own continuing
interest in promoting good relations between our two countries in both
the political and economic fields. For the overall picture we would
occas Tonally have to take into account some "hang dap"s" that exist in
the USSR, just as they would have to be realistic about some of ours.
Charles H. Percy
United States Senator
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