NO FORMAL ARMS REQUEST MADE DURING CODEL WILSON VISIT
Document Type:
Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP91B00135R000500980015-5
Release Decision:
RIPPUB
Original Classification:
C
Document Page Count:
2
Document Creation Date:
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date:
October 7, 2010
Sequence Number:
15
Case Number:
Publication Date:
August 19, 1983
Content Type:
CABLE
File:
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
CIA-RDP91B00135R000500980015-5.pdf | 66.42 KB |
Body:
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000500980015-5
1L.06-114 i [t'~aL
OEXA/LLD
INCOMING
PAGE 001
TOR: 191734Z AUG 83
RR RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
UTS2324
RR RUEHC
DE RUEHGT #6885 2302213
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 182210Z AUG 83
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6394
INFO RUEHCR/AMEMBASSY BELIZE 3658
RUESMG/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA 9842
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 2954
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 6404
RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 0286
RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR 0526
RUEHTG/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA 0684
RUEHDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2134
RUEOEHA/USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PN
BT
C 0 N F. I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 06885
E.O.12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PARM, PGOV, PINS, GT
SUBJECT: NO FORMAL ARMS REQUEST MADE DURING
CODEL WILSON VISIT
1. (U) ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL HECTOR MARIO
LOPEZ FUENTES IS QUOTED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF
GUATEMALA'S AFTERNOON NEWSPAPER "LA RAZON"
IN ITS AUGUST 17 ISSUE AS SAYING THAT GUATEMALA
"MADE TO SENATOR PETER(SIC) WILSON ...A FORMAL
PETITION FOR MILITARY AID". WHEN ASKED WHAT
KIND OF AID WAS REQUESTED HE IS REPORTED AS
SAYING THAT THE MILITARY AID CONSISTS MOSTLY
OF AVIATION ITEMS SUCH AS HELICOPTERS. PLANES
AND PARTS". THE AID WAS NEEDED TO COMBAT THE
GUERRILLAS BECAUSE THE TERRITORY WHERE THEY
ARE NOW OPERATING "IS VERY MOUNTAINOUS AND
THE DISTANCES LONG. THERE ARE PLACES TO, WHICH
ONE CANNOT GET BY NORMAL MEANS. THERE ARE NOT
EVEN' ROADS AND ONE HAS TO TRAVEL ON FOOT OR
MULE TO RESUPPLY UNITS SENT OUT TO THOSE AREAS."
2. (C) COMMENT: THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A SEMANTICAL
ONE. DURING GENERAL LOPEZ FUENTES' BRIEFING
FOR SENATOR WILSON, GUATEMALA'S MATERIAL NEEDS
WERE A RE-OCCURRING THEME AND THE OFFICERS PRESENT
ARGUEC THAT THE TERRAIN AND THEIR EQUIPMENT
SHORTAGES PREVENTED THEM FROM FULLY IMPLEMEN'ING
THEIR PLANS TO DEFEAT THE INSURGENTS. THE
STAFFERS REVIEWED GENERALLY THE KIND OF EQUIPMENT
WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE. WHILE SENATOR
WILSON AND HIS AIDES WERE SYMPATHETIC TO
GUATEMALA'S PREDICAMENT (AND AT HIS PRESS
CONFERENCE THE SENATOR SAID THAT HE WAS
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000500980015-5
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000500980015-5
CONFIDENTIAL
83 1945006 SCR PAGE 002 NC 1945006
TOP: 191734Z AUG 83
PERSONALLY PREPARED TO SUPPORT THE RESUMPTION
OF MILITARY AID TO GUATEMALA), NOTHING
APPROACHING A "FORMAL" REQUEST WAS MADE
DURING ANY OF THE MEETINGS WHICH THE SENATOR
ATTENDED. FROM A GUATEMALAN PERSONALISTIC
PERSPECTIVE, A LISTING OF THEIR NEEDS IN A
BRIEFING ORCHESTRATED BY THE ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF
FOR A REPUBLICAN SENATOR FROM THE PRESIDENT'S
HOME STATE MIGHT CONSTITUTE AN OBLIQUE "REQUEST"
FOR SUCH ITEMS. FOR THE PRESENT, HOWEVER, THERE
HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW-UP FROM THE GOG.
CHAPIN
END OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDE TIAL
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000500980015-5