PRESIDENT'S MEETING WITH JAMAICAN PRIME MINISTER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-291-3-29-4
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: August 12, 2010
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: July 20, 1970
• Content Type: MEMO

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ACTION
July 20, 1970
MEMORANDUM FOR DR. KISSINGER
FROM: Viron P. Vaky
SUBJECT: President's Meeting with Jamaican Prime Minister
I understand the President has committed himself to receive the
Jamaican Prime Minister. Attached is a memo to the President
which is intended to pin down a specific date.
RECOM.MENDATION:
That you sign the attached memo to the President.
DOS review completed Pgs 3-6 only.
NSS review completed.
(
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MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESID NT
FROM: Henry A. Kiesinger
SUBJECT: Meeting with Jamacian Prime Minister
ACTION
I understand that you have agreed to Ambassador de Roulet' s request
that you receive the Jamaican Prime Minister, Hugh Shearer. (Ambes-
sador.s tetter at Tab A.)
Shearer particularly wants to discuss the future of the bauxite Industry
in Jamaica with you and how Jamaica can get a greater share of tax
benefits from the U. S companies as well as equity participation in the
bauxite operations. He may also wish to talk about development assis-
tance; trade, especially sugar; and his own political future.
Since he will be making the trip especially to see you, and will wish to
discuss these matters in some detail, the appointment should be for
30-45 minutes. The Prime Minister has said that he cannot come to
Washington before August 7, or between September 2 and 25, when he
will be touring Africa.
R.ECOMMENDATION;
That you agree to receive the Prime Minister for 30-45 minutes
at a convenient tate betwetri August 7 and September 4.
Approve
Disapprove
Vakrrm 7-20-70
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Q
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Honorable H. R. Haldeman
Special Assistant to the President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Bob:
American Embassy
Kingston, Jamaica
July 7, 1970
Following our recent conversation in your office, I
have seen Prime Minister Shearer five times in the
last week. He has requested a visit with the Presi-
dent. The first of these meetings was an extraordinary
three hour session alone with Mr. Shearer at his home,
followed by some routine calls and a very flattering
tribute to the President in the form of ?a toast at our
Embassy party, July 4.
Mr. Shearer is almost shy about asking -- knowing full
well the President must limit his appointments -- but
I submit to you that it would be in the best interests
of the United States if the President granted such an
appointment for the following reasons:
1. The political climate here in Jamaica is relatively
stable with a two party system of almost equal popular
support. It is my judgment that the interests of the
United States would best be served by the reelection of
the current Prime Minister, who is openly friendly to
the United States, who frankly admires the President,
and with whom the Embassy enjoys a very close working
relationship.
Group 3
Downgraded at 12-year intervals,
not automatically declassified.
SECRET
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SECRET
2. American investment in. Jamaica is around the
$700 million area with at least $600 million
invested in bauxite. As you know, the wasting asset
business worldwide is under threat of nationalization
and Jamaica is no different. I suspect that the
President would have great influence on the ultimate
action taken by Prime Minister Shearer. This construc-
tive influence could be of great value to the American
investors, as well as to the general national interest
in the future supply of this important material. The
$600 million figure is actually misleading as there
are additional sums invested in American installations,
such as smelters and rolling mills, which depend on
Jamaican bauxite. Our gross involvement in this
bauxite source may thus be in the billions.
3. The hotel and tourist business is important for
obvious reasons, not the least of which is that many
of these hotels, clubs and private homes are owned by
the President's friends and supporters; for example,
John Rollins, Pollard Simonds and John Schiff.
4. Jamaica lies only 500 air miles from the U.S. and
is thus of military importance to us. One Cuba is
enough, and under its present leadership Jamaica is
living proof that a large Caribbean island does not
have to be radical, anti-American or unstable in order
to be a fully independent national entity.
5. There is a large bloc of voters in America of
Jamaican ethnic origin which will respond favorably to
a Hugh Shearer visit and the accompanying publicity
with the President.
6. If I am to believe the newspapers, the President's
identification with a sane, responsible, black leader
cannot help but be advantageous to all concerned during
the current long, hot summer. Unlike some of the other
Commonwealth Caribbean states, Jamaica has not had a
Black Power riot during the last year and a half.
7. There is a precedent for this request, as the
Prime Minister was granted an appointment with the
President last October 22, which, due to a mistake on
the part of his staff, coincided with the first
SECRET
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observance of a new national holiday in Jamaica. The
appointment had to be cancelled, Much to the embarrass-
ment of Mr. Shearer.
8. The Prime Minister stated that he could come to
Washington anytime except between July 30 and August 7
and between September 2 and 25, when he will be touring
Africa. (He plans to attend the United Nations General
Assembly October 19, 1970.) At our July 4 reception,
he said that he would like to come before going to the
Non-Aligned Summit Conference in Lusaka the second week
of September, so that he "could get the line" before
he left. This extraordinary statement would indicate
that he would be a responsible and powerful friend in a
group of mavericks. As indicated above, he will be
touring Africa before and after Lusaka, hopefully with
a pro-U.S. image and attitude. As far as Hugh Shearer
is concerned, the appointment would be beneficial
because he will probably declare the next general
election somewhere within the year. The prestige of
seeing the President would be helpful.
Therefore, I would request that the President grant
Mr. Shearer an appointment at his convenience. I would
further ask to keep this visit out of formal channels,
if possible. If you deem it best, I will simply bring
him up by air and over to the White House for a visit.
In our American vernacular, he could be described as a
nice man, who is courteous, well dressed and who would
say nothing embarrassing or inflammatory either before,
during or after his trip. He is definitely pro-American,
a friend of the American Embassy and Ambassador, and an
asset and ally to the United States.
(::,ourvery tru
SECRET
ent de Roule
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RT. HON. HUGH LAWSON SHEARER, Prime Minister, Minister of
Defence and Minister of External Affairs since April 11,
1967, Member of the House of Representatives for Southern
Clarendon since February 1967. Born at Martha Brae,
Trelawny, on May 18, 1923, Mt. Shearer was educated at
Falmouth primary school and St. Simon's College, Kingston.
In 1941, he joined the staff of the Bustamante Industrial
Trade Union. He rose rapidly to become Island Supervisor
and Vice-President of the Union (from which be is now on
leave of absence). He was a Councillor of the KSAC from
1947 to 1951 when he was appointed a member of the pre-
Independence Legislative Council. He was a member of the
House of
Representatives
for Western
Kingston from
1955 to 1959;
Minister Without
Portfolio, Leader
' of Government .
Business in the
Senate and Leader
of Jamaica's
delegation
to the United
Nations from
1962 to 1967.
A Baptist,
Mr. Shearer
married in
1947 (since
separated)
and has one
son and two
daughters.
FES ? SS
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