MEMO SUGGESTS GATES KNEW MORE ABOUT AID TO CONTRAS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000301270014-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: February 27, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/10: CIA-RDP99-01448R000301270014-1
ARTICLE 27 February 1987
V
ON PAS
Memo SuggestsGates Knew
Mbre AbouiAid to Contra
? Bvit WALL STIMET JdURNALitilff Reporter
WASHINGTON ? An internal White
House memo indicates that Robert
Gates, President Reagan's nominee for
? Central Intelligence Agency director,
may have known more about the private
Contra supply network than he has indi-
cated in Senate heartnis. r
The. memo, 'Tower
Commission report, was written last
summer bk. then;National SeouritY,Ad-
viser John Poindexter. It describes a
conversation with Mi Gates regarding
the phasing out of the private supply
network.
Former.. National - Council -
aide Lt. Col. Oliver North had been lob-
bying for the CIA to buy Millions of dol-
lars in assets, held by the private net-
work. In response, Adid. Poindexter
mentioned his talk with Mr. Gates, then
deputy CIA director. "I did tell Gates
that I thought the private -effort, should
be phased out," Adm:--Poindei,ter wrote
to Lt. Col. North. "Please falk to (CIA
? Director William) Casey' about this. I
agree with you."
The memo is certain to be raised by
senators when hearings resume on Mr.
Gates's nomination next week. In ap-
pearances this month, Mr. Gates has
said that he knew very little about the
priVate network and in fact avoided in-
formation on its operations because of
the congressionally imposed limits on
CIA involvement with the insurgents.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/10: CIA-RDP99-01448R000301270014-1