AMBASSADOR GODLEY'S PLANNED APPEARANCE BEFORE THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-6-3-15-5
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: June 12, 1970
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-6-3-15-5
MEMORANDUM
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL 11062
AC TI ON 7
June 12, 1970
NSS, State Dept.
reviews completed
1V1.C.~1v1 vX1~id V.1..! V 1v1 r v.[1, 1.1X1.. ?\ LDX.UN LT.LL'. M
SUBJECT: Ambassador Godley's Planned Appearance Before
4-1. D 1i-
JUN 2 2 1970
9
Mr. Helms has called your attention to the fact that State has promised
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Ambassador Godley will
be made available to testify before it in mid-July (Tab A).
State makes no claim that Godley's appearance would be other than
troublesome for all of us. It believes, however, that it has an obligation
to make Ambassador Godley available, for the following reasons:
-- The SFRC has been pressing very hard since February for his
testimony, and Secretary Rogers has promised that he would
be made available after the coming of the rainy season eased
the immediate crisis.
MORI C05125241
Pgs 2-4
Godley has not been back since he went to Vientiane last
summer. He will need to come out for consultations -- State
is very anxious that he participate in an East Asian Chiefs of
Mission Conference in Tokyo, July 9-10 -- and it would bevery
difficult to justify his departure from the post for any such
activity if at the same time State is claiming he cannot come
back to appear before the SFRC.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-6-3-15-5
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-6-3-15-5
SECRET /SENSITIVE
The SFRC is on strong grounds in claiming a right to call
upon Ambassadors to appear before it. To deny it that
right hands it an issue which it can use to unite waverers
within the Committee and generally throughout the Senate
against the Administration. Without such issues, the SFRC
leadership is less effective against the Administration, since
it tends to be farther out than the majority of the Senate in
many of its claims to prerogatives.
I have tried to explore whether temporizing for another few months
would offer any advantages. I have not been able to identify any speci-
fic advantages in waiting, though.the Congressional liaison staff may
be able to throw some light on this question.
Mr. Lehman is out of the country until June 17. I would like to learn
his reaction to this issue.
RECOMMENDATION:
That you authorize me to work with Mr. Lehman and the Congressional
liaison people, to develop recommendations as to
(a) whether the White House should step in and block State's
proposal to make Ambassador Godley available to the SFRC.
(b)whether we should instruct State to require that especially
sensitive testimony be given in Executive Session without any
transcript being taken.
Approve _ _
Disapprove
cc: Mr. Lehman
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-6-3-15-5
 10 June 1970
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-6-3-15-5
see '?
MEMORANDUM FOR: Dr. Henry A. Kissinger
Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs
SUBJECT: Cable from Station Chief, Vientiane
//4c
1. 1 received today a cable from my Station Chief in Vientiane
saying that the Department of State has committed Ambassador
Godley to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
sometime in mid-July. According to the Station Chief, the Depart-
ment has explained to Ambassador Godley that the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee has exerted considerable pressure and the
Department does not feel it can put off the Committee any longer.
3. 1 bring this to your attention and, in your discretion, to the
attention of the President, since I am not sure that you have been
made aware of this particular development and since it would be
coming at an unfortunate time in the general context of our current
WSAG concerns.
Richard Helms
Director
;xpq ,'.,~~? dG;.. ; gad
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/10/14: LOC-HAK-6-3-15-5
25X1