MEETING WITH DEPSECDEF AND FOREIGN MINISTER OF EL SALVADOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R001403560054-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 18, 2007
• Sequence Number: 54
• Publication Date: May 12, 1981
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2007/06/18: CIA-RDP84B00049R001403560054-9 4
ISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE? J-11-'
INTERNATIONAL
SECURITY AFFAIRS
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
SEC;,ET,, Y LF C:_f
2 MAY 3981
In Reply Refer to:
1-20530/81
/
SUBJECT: Meeting between DepSecDef and Foreign Minister of
W~1
El Salvador (U)
E]. Salvadoran participants:
Foreign Minister Fidel Chavez-Mena
Ambassador Ernesto Rivas-'-Gallont
First Secretary Roberto Jimenez (Interpreter)
LTC Rinaldo Golcher, Military Attache
United States participants:
Mr. Frank C. Carlucci, Deputy Secretary of Defense
Mr. Henry Catto, ASD (Public Affairs)
Rear Admiral John Howe, Military Assistant
Mr. Erich F. von Marbod, Deputy Director, DSAA
COL Charles S. McClain, OASD (ISA)
Mr. Leslie Scott,. Department of State
LTC Lawrence L. Tracy, OASD(ISA)
Time: 1600, 7 May 1981
Place: Room 3B928, Pentagon
(S) The Political Situation in El Salvador
Foreign Minister Chavez-Mena initiated the substantive portion
of the meeting by discussing the prospects for elections next year.
He said that his Government views the elections as a sociological
process culminating in a political decision. He added that he be-
lieves that elections will turn less on ideology than on pragmatic
decisions of the populace. With reference to the proposal of the
Democratic Revolutionary Front (FDR) for international negotiations,
he viewed this as a ploy to gain time. The Foreign Minister said
his Government would not permit outside interference in a purely in-
ternal matter such as constituent assembly/presidential elections.
The Deputy Secretary pointed out that El Salvador had a severe image
problem in the U.S. and urged the-government of El Salvador to make
public the efforts underway to bring to justice the killers of six
OSD Review completed
CLASSIFIED BY: DIR, I-A REGION
DECLASSIFY ON: 11 May-1987
CF! _QrT nAf r!n?t Nr. X-1432
Approved For Release 2007/06/18: CIA-RDP84B00049R001403560054-9
 Approved For Release 2007/06/18: CIA-RDP84B00049R001403560054-9
L.K
Americans, as well as to curb abuses committed by the Salvadoran
Security Forces. The Foreign Minister responded the he agreed
that the image of his Government in the U.S. was a serious prob-
lem. On the matter of the suspected killers of the Americans, he
said the immediate problem was translating political certainty to
judicial certainty, but that his Government would do all possible
to solve this problem. (Note: The GOES acknowledged on 10 May
that six members of the Security Forces had been arrested in the
case of the American Churchwomen.)
(S) Military Situation
The Foreign Minister said continued U.S. security assistance
was vital for a military victory. While emphasizing that the
eventual solution had to be of a political-military nature, he
added that a quick military victory was necessary for the democrati-
zation process to succeed:next y.ear. The Deputy Secretary said he
understood the reluctance of the Salvadoran military to send units/
cadre out of El Salvador for training, but that this provided the U.S.
the most efficient means to train large numbers of Salvadoran troops.
The Foreign Minister agreed, and requested the Military Attache to
comment. He, in turn, said he appreciated the constraints imposed
on the U.S. by domestic political considerations, and pledged to
use all his influence with the High Command to permit an expanded
out-of-country training program. The Deputy Secretary expressed
appreciation for this, and added that the U.S. goal was to train
the Salvadorans as efficiently as possible so that the war and vio-
lence could be ended rapidly.
(S) The Problem of Nicaragua ---
The Foreign Minister said that Cuban and Nicaraguan support
is critical for the guerrillas. He said the Nicaraguan Government
had repeatedly told him they would stop the aid, which Nicaraguan
officials maintained was not Government sanctioned. However, he
did not believe them. Air infiltration has continued, and now Be-
lize is likewise being-used as a ground conduit. Additionally, new
routes are being used through Honduras. The Foreign Minister claimed
that the "Cubanization" of Nicaragua is an impediment to peace in
the region. He sees Nicaragua as now being at a critical point,
given the incompatibility of the Sandinista Government and the ma-
jority of the Nicaraguan populace. The two choices, in his view,
are democratization/pluralism or a popular overthrew of the Govern-
ment.
(S) Other Meetings
Foreign Minister.Chavez-Menem also met with Mr. Koch, PDASD
(ISA) and Mr. Warren, DASD(ISA)I-A in separate meetings. T7hile the
discussions essentially followed the same lines as that with DepSec-
Def, the military situation was discussed in more detail in these
Approved For Release 2007/06/18: CIA-RDP84B00049R001403560054-9
 Approved For Release 2007/06/18: CIA-RDP84B00049ROO1403560054-9
? 0
lengthier meetings. Minister Chavez-Mena and LTC Golcher emphasized
that the military situation was now favorable, with the guerrillas
controlled for the present, although.heavy fighting is occurring in
i?orazan Department. The Military Attache pointed out that the
logistic shortcomings of the Government forces precluded sustained
operations, permitting guerrillas to return to areas from which
they have been driven, thus giving the guerrillas an image of
strength that was largely illusory. The infiltration of arms and
supplies had to be terminated, however, or the war could drag on
for years. Popular support for the Government would lag if violence
continues, with the Government unable'to defeat the guerrillas
conclusively. Tactical intelligence was likewise highlighted as
an area where more training was vitally needed.
DISTRIBUTION:
ecDef
DepSecDef
Chairman, JCS
Dr. Ikle.
Mr. West
Mr. Koch
Mr. Perle
LTG Graves
Approved by:
Date: 12 May 1981
NOEL C. KOCH
Acting Assistant Secretary of
Defense (ISA)
Prepared by: LTC L.L. Tracy, USA
OASD/ISA/IA
UPUT
Approved For Release 2007/06/18: CIA-RDP84B00049ROO1403560054-9