CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM ALEXANDER HAIG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-247-1-16-9
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2010
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: September 25, 1972
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/10/18: LOC-HAK-247-1-16-9
GpSS -
00 AFAAF
OF 1 TE :1618 26916!'5
0 25165SE SEP 72
FM GEN HAIG
TO LORD FOR MRI KISSINGER
M
POSTURE HAS OBVIOUSLY MADE MCGOVERN LOOK
QUITE FOOLISH. THE NEXT SET OF PROBLEMS ARE GOING TO BE MORE
DIFFICULT. '.IT NOW APPEARS THAT THE POW'S?VILL TRAVEL FROM NANNING
TO PEKING, FROM.I'EKING TO MOSCOW, AND THENCE TO SWEDEN OR PERHAPS
DENMARK. IT IS THE CONSENSUS HERE THAT WE SHOULD ASK THE SOVIET
UNION TO-SPOT A MEDEVAC AIRCRAFT AND IT IS VERY POSSIRVE THAT
M69b&"4 64:_T,l t _ DOWN TH?'S, REQUEST. THIS IS A MOST SENSITIVE
ISSUK VOCH OWE WILL HAVE ..' p OQN,4ID~~....C,~~.~?'.~....Yt_,.:xlsi.~_T.l~-l~:Ei~T-?~,-~
th1I THE' AIRCR'AF'T TO BE SPOTTED BUT PERHAPS
REFUSE' US ACCESS TO THE PRISONERS OR IN THE EVENT THAT THEY TURN
US DOWN, IN THE LATTER CASE, WE WILL HAVE TO DECIDE VERY CAREFULLY
HOW HARD TO PUSH THE ISSUE. THE SAME CONSIDERATIONS WILL FACE
US IN SWEDEN OR COPENHAGEN IN THE EVENT THE PARTY GETS THAT
. FAR.._BEFORE THEY MAKE THEIR CHOICE.
WE HAVE RECEIVED THE ATTACHED FBIS ITEM ANNOUNCING THE
RELEASE OF THE THREE PRISONERS FROM HANOI. WE ALSO HAVE CORR-
OBORATING INTELLIGENCE TO THIS EFFECT. WE ALSO HAVE INFOR-
MATION THAT MAJOR ELIAS IS PREPARED TO. PUT HIMSELF INTO U.S.
HANDS AT THE EARLIEST POSSIALE POINT. ACCORDINGLY, WE PLAN TO
HOLD ALL OF OUR EARLIER PRESS GUIDANCE AND ~tUST HAVE NO COMMENT
THIS MORNING NOTING THE REPORTS OF THEIR RELEASE. THESE REPORTS,
OF COURSE, UNDERCUT MCGOVERN ENTIRELY, ALTHGH WE WILL REMAIN
PREPARED TO BLAST HIM HARD IF HE SHOULD HITS AGAIN.
WE ARE NOW FACED WITH A WHOLE NEW RANGE OF PROBLEMS. THUS
FAR# OUR RESERVED
TOt HENRY A. XISSINGER i'a
TOHAK 2
SEPTEMBER 25, 1972
FROM! GENERAL HAIG
S E C R E T SENSITIVE WM29472
AM CONE' I DEN THAT 'S ILENCE LS THIS MORNING'S BEST COURSE
TO PURSUE SINCE EVENTS PLAYED INTO OUR HANDS AND WE 'DID NOT HAVE
TO UNDERCUT MAJOR ELIAS. W STILL HAVE OUR TRUMP CARD IN THE
EVENT MCGOVERN CONTINUES TOATACK, SINCE OR INSTRUCTIONS TO
U.S. OFFICIALS HAVE NOT YE SURFACED. IT'''IS MY STRONG VIEW THAT
WE SHOULD REMAIN IN A HOLDING PATTERN WITH-RESPECT TO THOSE
INSTRUC.TIONSUNTIL WE FACE THE NEXT CRISIS,` PROBABLY IN MOSCOW.
WE WILL NEED YOUR PRELIMINARY VIEWS ON HOW. TO PLAY THE MOSCOW
TEST.
_END PAGE ONE`
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS
APPLY
NEW SUBJECT'$ QUAY' WILL PROCEED ViTH PORTER AS OUTLINED
IN HAKTO 1.
I HAVE SPOKEN TO WALTER, GOTTEN THE NAMES, AND PASSED. THEM
TO IOAN. I WILL PROCEED TO GIVE WALTER GUIDANCE BASED ON THE
RETURN CALL UNLESS YOU WOULD RATHER DO IT YOURSELF UPON YOUR
RETURN.
WARM REGARDS.
r,"INN No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/10/18: LOC-HAK-247-1-16-9