CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM ELLSWORTH BUNKER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-490-3-56-3
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 2, 2012
• Sequence Number: 56
• Publication Date: April 20, 1971
• Content Type: CABLE

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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/02: LOC-HAK-490-3-56-3
' r-es.-A-44,-Ac;2)C Cl
FROM:.
TO:
REF.: WHS71039
SE C R E T SENSITIVE 201200Z APR 71
AMBASSADOR BUNKER KATHMANDU 0654V.
-
THE WHITE HOUSE, EYES ONLY HENRY A. KPSSINGER
'11 APR 20 AM 9 : 1 7
too I yrs I iviV
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS APPLY
'
L. I AM AWARE. OF THE POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES WHICH THE NARCOTICS
PROBLEM IS CAUSING THE ADMINISTRATION AND TRF LAX AND INEFFECTIVE ,
CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION HERE WHICH HAS CONTRIBUTED' TO IT. I HAVE:
HAD ALSO A COMPREHENSIVE BRIEFING BY OUR CUSTOMS ADVISORY TEAM.'
25X1
' 2. . THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE CUSTOMS '
ADMINISTRATION IS ESSENTIAL BOTH TO CONTROL DRUG TRAFFIC AND TO
PRODUCE MORE GOVERNMENT REVENUE.
41 SO FAR THE FOLLOWING STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN:
A) EARLY IN FEBRUARY I INFORMED THIEU OF THE LARGE AMOUNT OF
REVENUE BEING LOST TO THE GVN THROUGH LAX CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION
AND URGED HIM TO TAKE MEASURES TO TIGHTEN THE ADMINISTRATION.
B) IN ADDITION TO THE CUSTOMS BRIEFING I HAVE HAD BACK-UP
'DOCUMENTATION PREPARED BY CHUCK COOPER AND PUT IN FORM FOR
PRESENTATION TO BOTH PRIME MINISTER KHIEM AND PRESIDENT THIEU:
C) I HAVE ASKED SAM BERGER TO TAKE THIS UP WITH THE PRIME,.
MINISTER THIS WEEK. PROPOSE TO FOLLOW?UP WITH PRESIDENT
THIEU IMMEDIATELY ON MY RETURN NEXT WEEK.
D) GENERAL ABRAMS AND I HAVE CALLED THIEU'S ATTENTION TO THE
,SERIOUSNESS OF THE DRUG PROBLEM AND THE REPERCUSSION THIS IS
HAVIN1 IN THE U.S.' HE HAS AGREED TO CO-OPERATE AND HAS ASKED
FOR SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS.
4. I WELCOME SUGGESTION OF COMMISSIONER AMBROSE THAT HESEND
INSPECTION TEAM TO SAIGON. THE COMPOSITION OF THE TEAM HE SUGGESTS
SEEM IDEAL FOR OUR PURPOSES. THIS WILL REINFORCE WHAT WE ARE
PLANNING TO DO:
5. I HAVE ALREADY AUTHORIZED OUR ADVISORY TEAR,TO TR/ NO GET
MORE INTO' THE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION BUT TO
EXERCISE CARE NOT TO AROUSE ANTAGONISM OF THE GVN OFFICIALS UNTIL
WE CAN WORK OUT PROCEDURE' AT HIGHER GOVERNMENT LEVELS.
6. THE OPERATIONAL' ASPECT OF OUR ROLE, IF WE ARE TO GET INTO IT,
WILL NEED TO BE WORKED OUT AT TOP LEVELS. I WILL WANT TO TELL
THIEU OF OUR INTENTION TO BRING THE TEAM TO VIETNAM AND OUR
DESIRE TO ENGAGE IN A COOPERATIVE EFFORT AIMED AT ELIMINATING'
SMUGGLING, SPECIFICALLY THROTTLING DRUG TRAFFIC AND INCREASING
GVN REVENUES. MY JUDGMENT WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD,HAVE LESS
PROBLEMS GETTIOG INTO THE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF DRUG TRAFFIC THAN '
WITH SMUGGLING IN' GENERAL. THIEU COULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS
POLITICALLY BY OPENING HIMSELF TO CHARGES OF GIVING IN ON GVN
PREROGATIVES ANO. SOVEREIGNTY, ESPECIALLY WITH ELECTIONS IN THE
OFFING. No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/02: LOC-HAK-490-3-56-3
State Dept. review
completed.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2012/10/02: LOC-HAK-490-3-56-3
WITH REGARD TO ALLEGATIONS THAT THE PRIME MINYqTER OR MEMBERS
O HIS1.AMILY MAY BE( VOLVED,-1 DO NOT BELIEVE 1 - ALLEGATIONS
ATTACH TO THE PRIME MiNISTER HIMSELF. ONE OF HIS BROTHERS IS IN THE
FRAUD REPRESSION SERVICE'AT TAN SON NHUT AND THE INFERENCE IS
THAT HE 'MAY HAVE OR 'HAS KNOWLEDGE OF SMUGGLING.,- .THERE ARE,
HOWEVER, OTHER INDJVIDUALS WHERE EVIDENCE SEEMS MORE CONCLUSIVE
AND WHO, WE BELIEVE, SHOULD BE REMOVED.'. THE DIFFICULTY IS TO GET
EVIDENCE THAT WILL SUBSTANTIATE WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE FACTS.
EVEN IF THE PRIME41INISTER'S BROTHER IS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED
HIS PRESENCE IN A SITUATION WHICH COULD BE INVOLVED IN A SCANDAL
COULD BE EMBARRASSING TO THE PRIME MINISTER 'AND HE SHOULD BE TRANS-
FERRED TO ANOTHER POST. THE PRIME MINISTER RAS ANOTHER BROTHER
IN THE SAIGON)PORT.CUSTOMS. BOTH SHOULD BE TRkNSFERRED OUT.
S. THAT THE GVN IS GETTING INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT DRUG
USAGE IS BORNE OUTtBY THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER AT
THEA APRIL CABINET MEETING OF A PROGRAM TO REDUCE THE USE OF,
NARCOTICS AND TO PUBLICIZE THE DANGER TO THE USERS. HE SAID'
THE LOWER'HOUSE SHOULD BE 'URGED TO'PASS LEGISLATION AGAINST THE
'TRAFFIC AND USE OF NARCOTICS. HE WILL INSTRUCT PROVINCE CHIEFS
TO DEAL HARSHLY WITH SELLERS. AS YOU ARE AWARE MARIJUANA AND
HEROIN WERE INTRODUCED INTO VIETNAM WITH THE BUILD-UP OF AMERICAN
ECU PREVIOUSLY OPIUM WAS THE ONLY NARCOTIC USED TO ANY'
DEGREE AND THE VIETNAMESE ARE NOW CONCERNED LEST THE USE OF HEROIN
SPREAD TO THEIR OWN,IROOPS.
,ALTHOUGH CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION HAS TIGHTENED UP SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF APRIL THIS HAS HAPPENED, BEFORE AND THEN SLIPPED
BACK AGAIN. IT IS CLEAR THAT MUCH MORE RIGOROUS AND EFFECTIVE
ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN BY BOTH THE GVN AND US. I DO NOT KNOW
HOW CONGRESSMEN STEELE AND MURPHY ARRIVED AT THEIR FIGURE OF
30,000 HEROIN USERS WHICH WOULD BE 10 PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL FORCE.
THIS SEEMS TO ME HIGH; MARIJUANA OF COURSE IS MORE WIDELY USED
THAN HEROIN. WHATEVER THE FIGURE IT IS TOO HIGH AND WE SHALL
HAVE TO MOVE IN ON THE PROBLEM WITHOUT DELAY AND KEEP AT IT
UNTIL WE GET RESULTS". ,
10. AS YOU KNOW I HAVE PLANNED TO STAY IN KATHMANDU THIS WEEK -
RETURNING TO SAIGON MONDAY, 26TH. IF YOU FEEL T1-EAT I SHPULD
RETURN SOONER DO NOT RESIT TATE TO LET ME KNOW TOUGH NATURALLY
I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLETE MY WEEK HERE.
ItIP SECRET SENSITIVE
?
liES_ONLY
No Objection to Declassification in Pari 2012/10/02: LOC-HAK-490-3-56-3
or"--