ODOM VISIT TO NICARAGUA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85M00363R001202710026-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 4, 2010
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: January 7, 1983
• Content Type: CABLE

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00 RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC 20C STATE ZZH
STU5809
00 RUEHC
DE RUESMG #0086/01 0072100
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
0 0719452 JAN 83
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5433
INFO RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 7133
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 7666
RUESJO/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 6657
RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR 7300
RUESTE/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA 7018
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEOEHA/L'SCINCSO QUARRY HTS PN
RUEADWD/DIA WASHDC
BT
C 0 N F I D E N TI A L MANAGUA 0086
ED 12356 : DECL: OADR
TAGS : MILL, PINT, PEPR, HO, NU
SUBJ ODOM VISIT TO NICARAGUA
1. SUMMARY: EIGHTEEN HOUR VISIT TO MANAGUA BY MAJOR
GENERAL WILLIAM ODOM WAS MARKED BY LENGTHY COURTESY CALL
ON SENIOR SANDINISTA ARMY COMANDANTES INCLUDING
ODOM'S OPPOSITE NUMBER JULIO RAMOS AND CHIEF OF STAFF
JOAQUIN CUAORA. THE INFORMAL AND FRANK DISCUSSION
DURING THE COURTESY CALL CONTINUED AT A SMALL
DINNER AT THE AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE IN HONOR OF
GENERAL ODOM AND OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS PARTY. ODOM
HIT SANDINISTAS HARD ON THEIR SUPPORT FOR REVOLUTION
IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND TIES WITH CUBA AND THE
SOVIET UNION. SANDINISTAS WERE HIGHLY CRITICAL OF
ALLEGED U.S. SUPPORT FOR COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES IN
HONDURAS. THEY ALSO INDICATED THEIR DESIRE TO PURSUE
SO? M F EFFECTIVE LAND AND SEA JOINT PATROLS
WITH POSSIBLE INTE 'ATIONAL PARTICIPATION TO DEAL
WITH ARMS FLOW TO SALVADOR. SANDINISTA ARMY
COMANDANTES MADE CLEAR THEIR DESIRE TO KEEP OPEN
LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH U.S. MILITARY,
NOTWITHSTANDING CURRENT SERIOUS POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES
IN BILATERAL RELATIONS. END SUMMARY.
2. ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF FOR INTELLIGENCE
MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM ODOM VISITED MANAGUA JANUARY 5/6
AS PART OF HIS FOUR COUNTRY SWING THROUGH CENTRAL
AMERICA. IN HIS EIGHTEEN HOUR VISIT, GEN ODOM HAD
A COUNTR" TEAM BRIEFING AND THEN WENT TO CALL ON
SANDINISTA ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF JOAQUIN' CUADRA.
ORIGINALLY A CALL ON EPS G-2 COMANDANTE JUL:ONRAM,OS
d
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HAD BEEN PLANNED, BUT EPS SUGGESTED CALL ON CUADRA.
PRESENT AT THE MEETING IN ADDITION TO CUAORA, AND
RAMOS. WERE EPS POLITICAL DIRECTOR HUGO TORRES
AND FOREIGN MINISTRY DIRECTOR OF NORTH AMERICAN
AFFAIRS SAUL ARANA. ON U.S. SIDE IN ADDITION TO
ODOM AND AMBASSADOR WERE DEFATT AND TEGUCIGALPA
DEFATT. THE MEETING TOOK PLACE IN THE SITUATION
ROOM OF THE SOMOZA BUNKER, NOW THE EPS HEADQUARTERS.
3. GEN 000M BEGAN THE MEETING BY ASKING CUADRA
WHETHER THE EPS HAD ANY PARTICULAR VIEWS IT WISHED
TO CONVEY. CUADRA RESPONDED THAT NICARAGUA FIRST
WANTED "MATURE AND JUST" RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED
STATES BASED ON MUTUAL RESPECT. SECONDLY NICARAGUA
WANTED TO CONSTRUCT ITS FUTURE IN PEACE. NICARAGUA,
HE SAID, WAS WILLING TO BE FRIENDS WITH THE
UNITED STATES AS LONG AS THE U.S. LEFT NICARAGUA
IN PEACE.
4. IN RESPONSE GEN ODOM SAID HE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO
MAKE TWO POINTS. IN THE LAST TWO ADMINISTRATIONS
IT HAD BEEN THE USG'S POSITION TO BE SYMPATHETIC
AND HELPFUL TO GENUINE DEMOCRACIES RATHER THAN THOSE
FALSE DEMOCRACIES WHICH MERELY MASKED DICTATORSHIPS
OF THE EXTREME RIGHT OR LEFT. SECONDLY SINCE WORLD
WAR TWO THE U.S. HAD TRIED TO PROMOTE STABILITY IN
THE WORLD. WE COULD HAVE GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE GRN
IF IT ADOPTED PRO-NICARAGUA POSITIONS RATHER THAN
PROMOTING INSTABILITY OR ALLOWING ITSELF TO BECOME
A CLIENT OF THE USSR. HE ASKED WHETHER NICARAGUA
SOUGHT "REVOLUTION IN ONE COUNTRY" OR PERMANENT
REVOLUTION IN LATIN AMERICA.
5. CUADRA, BRISTLING SOMEWHAT. SAID THAT IT WAS
FOR NICARAGUA AND ITS PEOPLE ALONE TO GIVE ATTRIBUTIONS
TO NICARAGUAN DEMOCRACY. THE NICARAGUAN REVOLUTION
WAS A REAL DEMOCRACY, WITH SIMILARITIES TO AS WELL AS
DIFFERENCES FROM OTHER REVOLUTIONARY PROCESSES.
NICARAGUA TODAY BELONGED TO ALL ITS PEOPLE NOT TO A
FAMILY DICTATORSHIP. IF THE REVOLUTION MADE MISTAKES
IT WOULD CORRECT THEM. HE HOPED THAT NICARAGUA
AND U.S. DEMOCRACIES COULD CONVERGE. CERTAINLY
NICARAGUA WANTED PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE WITH THE U.S.-
AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF CENTRAL AMERICA.
6. WHEN GEN ODOM ASKED WHETHER THE GRN'S CONCEPT OF
PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE WAS CONSISTENT WITH SENDING ARMS
TO THE SALVADORAN GUERRILLAS CUADRA REPLIED THAT
THE NICARAGUAN REVOLUTION OBVIOUSLY WAS AN EXAMPLE
TO OTHER COUNTRIES. NICARAGUA, HOWEVER, SHOULD NOT
BE BLAMED FOR ALL THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISES IN
THE REGION NOR FOR ALL KINDS OF TERRORISM. NONE OF
HE GOVERNMENTS IN THE AREA HAD EVER PROVIDED
PROOF OR CONCRETE EVIDENCE THAT THE GRN WAS INVOLVED:
INDEED, CUADRA INSISTED. NICARAGUA WAS THE VICTIM
COUNTRY. HUNDREDS OF NICARAGUANS WERE DEAD, THAT WAS THE
PROOF OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF OUTSIDERS. THE SALVADORAN
REVOLUTION WOULD HAVE ITS OWN GESTATION PERIOD.
NICARAGUA WANTED A DIALOGUE AND A NEGOTIATED
SOLUTION IN SALVADOR AND HAD SAID SO REPEATEDLY IN
INTERNATIONAL FORA. CUADRA EMPHATICALLY DENIED THAT
ARMS WERE GOING FROM NICARAGUA TO SALVADOR. IF
NICARAGUA HAD HELPED THE GUERRILLAS TO THE EXTENT
CLAIMED THE SALVADORAN GOVERNMENT WOULD ALREADY HAVE
FALLEN. CUADRA ASKED GENERAL ODOM TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING
MESSAGE TO SALVADOR AND HONDURAS: NICARAGUA DID NOT INTEND
TO INVADE ANYONE; NICARAGUA SOUGHT
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NEGOTIATED SOLUTIONS WITH THEM. CUADRA ADDED THAT
THE CURRENT SIZE OF THE SANDINISTA MILITARY, WHILE
FOUR TIMES THAT OF SOMOZA, WAS BASED ON THE COMBINED
THREAT FROMM EL SALVADOR, HONDURAS, GUATEMALA AND THE
7,000 (SIC) EX-NATIONAL GUARDS. THE GRN FEAR, HE SAID,
WAS THAT THE PROFFESSIONAL MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS IN NEIGHBORING
COUNTRIES WOULD UNDERESTIMATE THE NICARAGUAN MILITARY BECAUSE OF
THE ARMY'S YOUTH AND INEXPERIENCE AND ENGAGE IN A RECKLESS
PRESUMPTIVE ATTACK.
7. THE CONVERSATION THEN SHIFTED TO THE ISSUES
OF PLURALISM AND A MIXED ECONOMY. CUADRA ASKED
COMANDANTE TORRES TO COMMENT. TORRES SAID THAT IT
WAS NOT A QUESTION OF WHETHER THERE WOULD BE PLURALISM
OR A MIXED ECONOMY IN NICARAGUA. THESE EXISTED AS DID
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. THE GOVERNMENT WAS WILLING TO HELP
THE PRIVATE SECTOR PRODUCE; POLITICAL PARTIES FROM THE
EXTREME RIGHT TO THE EXTREME LEFT WERE ABLE TO CARRY
OUT THEIR ACTIVITIES "PEACEFULLY" (SIC!). HE COMMENTED
THAT A POLITICAL PROCESS WHICH PERMITTED POLITICAL
COMPETITION WAS NECESSARY.
8. GENERAL ODOM ASKED WHERE THE REVOLUTION WOULD BE
IN TEN YEARS TIME. CUADRA SAID A MIXED ECONOMY WAS A
PERMANENT PART OF THE REVOLUTION. THE FSLN HAD NO
STRATEGIC INTENTION OF DOING AWAY WITH THE
PRIVATE SECTOR. AN EFFORT WOULD BE MADE TO STRENGTHEN
THE STATE SECTOR SO THAT THERE WOULD BE A BETTER
BALANCE AND SO THAT THE STATE COULD PLAY A MORE IMPORTANT
ROLE IN DIRECTING THE ECONOMY. THE FUNDAMENTAL GOAL OF THE RE-
VOLUTION WAS TO CREATE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND TO MEET
THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.
9. RETURNING TO THE REGIONAL SITUATION, CUADRA SAID
THAT NICARAGUA 010 NOT CARE WHAT KIND OF REGIME
HONDURAS HAD SO LONG AS IT LEFT NICARAGUA ALONE.
ODOM ASKED WHETHER TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL THE GRN
WOULD BE WILLING TO STOP ARMS TRAFFICKING. CUADRA
RESPONDED THAT THE GRN WANTED JOINT LAND AND SEA
PATROLS AND WOULD BE WILLING TO HAVE THIRD COUNTRIES
JOIN IN THE PATROLS, EVEN THE U.S. UNFORTUNATELY
NO ONE HAD PAID ANY ATTENTION TO THESE PROPOSALS.
THE GRN WOULD GO TO ANY LENGTHS TO FIND A NEGOTIATED
SOLUTION. THE GRN WAS, HE SAID, VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE INCREASE IN HOSTILITIES AND THE INVOLVEMENT
OF HIGH LEVEL HONDURAN OFFICIALS. IT WAS WORRIED
BY SALVADORAN AND GUATEMALAN OFFICIAL STATEMENTS
THAT THE NICARAGUAN REVOLUTION HAD TO BE EXTERMINATED.
NICARAGUA, HE REITERATED, DID NOT WANT TO EXPORT
ITS REVOLUTION TO HONDURAS. GENERAL ODOM'S ARRIVAL,
HE SAID, HAD BEEN WELCOMED THE DAY BEFORE BY NEW
ATTACKS CN THE BORDER. THESE THINGS COULD NOT OCCUR
WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF SOME SECTIONS OF THE USG.
10. IN REFLECTING ON WHAT SHOULD BE DONE NEXT CUADRA
APPEALED FOR AN "EXTRAORDINARY GESTURE" ON THE PART
OF THE UNITED STATES TO PROVIDE AID AND TO HELP
NICARAGUA FEED ITS HUNGRY. NICARAGUANS, HE SAID,
WERE NOT OGRES. THEY DIDN'T EAT CHILDREN. THEY WANTED
AN AGREEMENT ON THE BORDER. IF THAT COULD BE ACHIEVED
MANY OTHER THINGS WOULD BE POSSIBLE. GENEAL DOOM
COMMENTED THAT NICARAGUA WOULD, OF COURSE. HAVE TO
CEASE TO ALLOW CUBA TO USL NICARAGUA TC SUPPORT INSURGENCY.
11. AFTER SOME TWO HOURS THE CONVERSATION WAS BROKEN
OFF. IT WAS RESUMED AT DINNER AT THE AMBASSADOR'S
RESIDENCE WHERE THE PARTICIPANTS AT THE EARLIER MEETING
ONFDE TE L
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TOR: 372242Z JAN 83
---------------------------------------------------- ; JOINTED ON THE NICARAGUAN 310E 8Y CHIEF OF STATE
SECURITY LENIN CPA AND ON THE EMBASSIES' BY
MEMBERS CF THE COUNTRY TEAM. NO NEW 3ROU.'3 WAS BROKEN
IN THE COURSE OF THE EVENING ALTHOUGH THE SANDINISTA
MILITARY OFFICERS MADE CLEAR THEY WOULD LIKE TO
MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH THE U.S. ARMY, TH?:UGH
VISITS, TRAINING, ETC.
12. COMMENT: THE PARTICIPATION OF CCMANOANTE CUAORA
AND THREE OTHER SENIOR COMANCANTES GUERR:LLEROS IN A
DISCUSSION AND SOCIAL EVENT CLEARLY REFLECTED A DECISION
AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE FSLN. IN MY TEN MONTHS
IN NICARAGUA THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT SENIOR
REVOLUTIONARY OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN WILLING TO TAKE TIME
FOR A FREE WHEELING AND VERY FRANK DISCUSSION OF
INTERNAL AND FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES. THE COMANDANTES
WERE RELAXED AND OPEN. THEY DIC NOT BELABOR ISSUES
RELATING TO COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY ACTIVI-Y, ALTHOUGH
WHEN THE SUBJECT DID ARISE THEY REACTED EMOTIONALLY
INDICATING THE DEGREE TO WHICH THEY ARE PERSONALLY
CAUGHT UP IN MANAGING THE FIGHTING IN THE NORTH.
THE CONVERSATIONS WERE REMARKABLY FREE OF MARXIST
RHETORIC OR ABUSE OF THE UNITED STATES.
13. FOR THE EMBASSY GENERAL ODOM'S VISIT PROVIDED
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW SOME OF THE
KEY PLAYERS IN THE SANDINISTA SYSTEM. CUAORA.
IS OFTEN SPOKEN OF AS A MAN WHO MIGHT EVENTUALLY
RALLY MODERATE FORCES IN THE ARMY AWAY FROM THE
CURRENT MARXIST-LENINIST TRENDS. IF SO,
HIS WILLINGNESS TO TAKE OVER THE COURTESY CALL
ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR ONE OF HIS SUBORDINATES,
TO HOLD THE MEETING IN THE OLD SOMOZA BUNKER AND TO
PARTICIPATE IN A PUBLIC SOCIAL GATHERING AT THE
RESIDENCE ARE SIGNS OF A DESIRE TO KEEP OPEN
CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION TO US. IT ALSO PROVIDED
US AN INVALUABLE OCCASION TO ASSESS THESE YOUNG
COMANDANTES AND LAY OUT FOR THEM
IN CLEAR AND UNMISTAKEABLE TERMS THE NATURE
AND EXTENT OF OUR CONCERNS ~BCUT NICARAGUAN
POLICIES.
QUAINTON
CONFIDENTIAL
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