CABLE TO HENRY A. KISSINGER FROM BRENT SCOWCROFT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-259-1-54-4
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: June 21, 2010
• Sequence Number: 54
• Publication Date: December 18, 1973
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/21 : LOC-HAK-259-1-54-4
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#4537 3522357
182355Z DEC 73 ZYH ZFF-1/4
FM THE SITUATION ROOM TOHAK134
TO AMEMBASSY MADRID
C 0 N F I D E N T I A L/EYES ONLY WH37697
TOHAK134
TO RALPH SIGLER FOR DELIVERY TO LARRY EAGLENURGER
DECEMBER 18' 1973
TO: HENRY A. KISSINGER
FROM: BRENT SCOWCRDFT
PRIOR TO THE CHRISTMAS RECESS CONGRESS WILL COMPLETE ACTION
ON BOTH THE DEFENSE AND FOREIGN AID APPROPRIATIONS. AT THES POINT THE
OUTLOOK IS AS FOLLOWS:
DEFENSE APPROPRIATION. OUR PRINCIPLE CONCERNS WERE IN
STRATEGIC PROGRAMS (TRIDENT, SCAD, SITE-DEFENSE) AND MASF. WE
WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING ACCEPTABLE RESTORATIONS ON ALL OF THE
STRATEGIC PROGRAMS IN THE SENATE EXCEPT FOR TRIDENT. THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS TO RECEIVE A
REQUEST FOR SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS TO INCLUDE UP TO $4? MILLION
FOR TRIDENT "AT A LATER TIME". ON MASFs THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE CUT THE HOUSE LEVEL ($1..0085 BILLION) BY $358 MILLION
TO A FIGURE OF $650.5 MILLION. THE HOUSE/SENATE CONFERENCE IS NOW
IN SEESION AND HAVE APPARENTLY AGREED ON A FIGURE OF $900 MILLION
FOR MASF, WHICH IS NOT BAD. IN SUM, IT APPEARS THAT WE WILL RECEIVE A
BILL CONTAINING ACCEPTABLE FUNDING FOR ALL STRATEGIC PROGRAMS EXCEPT
TRIDENT AND ACCEPTABLE FUNDING FOR MASF.
FOREIGN AID. THE FOREIGN AID AUTHORIZATION BILL WAS SIGNED
BY THE PRESIDENT YESTERDAY'. THE FOREIGN AID APPROPRIATION HAS PASSED
BOTH CHAMBERS AND GOES TD CONFERENCE TOMORROW. THERE ARE THREE
PRINCIPLE ISSUES.
MAP. THE HOUSE FIGURE ($500 MILLION) IS MARGINALLY ACCEPTABLE.
THE SENATE LEVEL ($300 MILLION) IS EXTREMELY BAD. A COMPROMISE
FIGURE OF.1400 MILLION APPEARS PROBABLE. SUCH A FIGURE WOULn
NECESSITATE REDUCTION TO TOKEN LEVELS IN SEVERAL PROGRAMS. FOR
EXAMPLE, GRANT MATERIAL PROGRAMS TO INDONESIA, THE PHILIPPINES,
THAILAND, ETHIOPIA, TUNISIA AND LATIN AMERICA WOULD BE CUT TN
HALF.
INDOCHINA RECONSTRUCTION. THE HOUSE PASSED AN APPROPRIATION OF
* * * * * * * * * .* * * * * * *WHSR COMMENT * * * * * * * * * *.
SCOWCROFT,MCFARLANE,SECFILE
RECALLED
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/21 : LOC-HAK-259-1-54-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/21 : LOC-HAK-259-1-54-4
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$504 MILLION (COMPARED TO THE ADMINISTRATION REQUEST OF $634
MILLION). ANYTHING BELOW $500 MILLION WILL MAKE IT EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT TO AVOID A MAJOR IMPACT IN VIETNAM IN TERMS OF CONTINUING
ON-GOING PROGRAMS, AVOIDING SEVERE UNEMPLOYMENT AND ATTRACTING
THIRD COUNTRY INVESTMENT. THE SENATE PASSED A FIGURE OF $300
MILLION. THIS WOULD INDICATE A DISASTROUS COMPROMISE FIGURE OF
$400 MILLION.
CAMBODIA. THE AUTHORIZATION BILL PROVIDED AUTHORITY TO SUPPLY
COMBODIA OUT OF DOD STOCKS UP To A LEVEL OF $200 MILLION. THE
HOUSE PASSED AN APPROPRIATION OF $150 MILLION TO PAY BACK DOD FOR THI
S
DRAW DOWN. THE SENATE HAS APPROPRIATED $100 MILLION BUT HAS ATTACHED
LANGUAGE WHICH MAKES IT INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION
WE WILL TRY TO GET THIS WORKED OUT IN CONFERENCE AND ARE HOPEFUL
FOR GETTING APPROVAL FOR THE HOUSE PASSED FIGURE OF $150 MILLION.
OUR HOPES FOR REVERSING THE SENATE CUTS IN CONFERENCE WERE
SERIOUSLY IMPAIRED BY THE APPOINTMENT OF A FAIRLY ANTAGONISTIC
LIST OF SENATE CONFEREES (MATHIAS, HATFIELD, BROOKE, PROXMIRE,
CHILDS, INOUYE, AND MCGEE). THUS OUR HOPES ARE RIDING ON THP ABILITY
OF CHAIRMAN PASSMAN TO HOLD FIRM TO THE HOUSE- PASSED FIGURES..
WHILE WE MIGHT EXPECT HIM TO 00 WELL ON COMBODIA AND INDOCHINA
RECONSTRUCTION, I AM PESSIMISTIC ON THE OUTCOME OF MAP, ASSENT DIVINE
INTERVENTION.
WARM REGARDS.
800
RECALLED
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No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/06/21 : LOC-HAK-259-1-54-4