Approved for Release 2018 09 17 C02218144 -- - -- _ ' __ __ _ _ __ 4 -- - - - - - - -- - ' -- _ - _ ' oo - - - _ - - - - o - JL - - s 13 August 1976 FOR THE RECORD MEMORANDU I SUBJECT Meeting at Department of State to Discuss Operation CONDOR PARTICIPANTS c Hewson A Ryan Deputy Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs James Gardner Office of Deputy Director for Coordination Bureau of Intelligence and Research Robert Zimmerman ARA LA BR #I Deputy Chief Latin 3 5 c L__ A m e r 1 c a--nu 1- -v 1 - s -1 -o n 3 5 c ' 1 At State Department request DC LAD and met with Ryan Zimmerman and Gardner at the Department from 1000 to 1030 hours on 11 August to discuss Operation CONDOR 11 Ryan opened the meeting by stating that the implications of CONDOR ifi the human rights field had reached the poin t whereby some action was required by the U S Government DC LAD said that the Agency wished to be as helpful to the De artment as possible in that regard 3 5 c Mr Ryan said he 3 3 b 1 o understood our problem and believed out interests had been protected in their proposed representations to certain of the 11 CONDOR countries regarding the assassination problem Mr Ryan then read the draft of a proposed EXDIS telegram to Buenos Aires Montevideo and Santiago In es ence the telegram briefly outlined CONDOR objectives It took no issue with CONDOR plans for collecting and coordinating information on terrorists and terrorist plans and activities in the Southern Cone countries It did exoress the most serious concern regarding CONDOR's alleged assassination plans It requested that this concern be taken up at the highest levels of the host governments stressing that-any assassinations would violate the norms of civilization and would if they became known generate profound adverse reaction around the world to the countries concerned I ----7 - ____ Approved for Release 20 8 09 17 C0221814 - ______ _ ---- -- --- - Approved for Release 2018 09 17 C02218144 _ S E C R E T J - o ooo __ o _ oo ' 2 r -i ' _j While DC LAD approved the general thrust J raft certain changes ere suggested and aJopted ti1 st - 6GBP the Among h i rt a There should be seoarate instructions in the cable to the individual ambassadors keyed to the different situations in each of the three countries For exaople Arabassador Siracusa's demarche should be to General Vadora rather than to the President since the A bassajor had a recent conversation with Vadora along these general lines arid information on CONDOR is reportedly not known above the level of Vadora in Montevideo b The Charge in Buenos Aires should stress with President Videla directly if possible ' the adverse effect revelation of the assassination scheme will have on Argentine efforts to obtain loans and otherwise come up with solutions for improving it 'economy There was general agreement that Argentina is the country in which we should be able to exett the most leverage c Each ambassador should emphasize that overtures are being made in other CONDOR countries so that there 'will be no feeling 0n the part of any host govern ment of bein sin led out for attention 3 3 b 1 d Embassies in Brasilia Asuncion and La Paz should be information addressees 3 3 b 1 4 cable DC LA asked that State provide us with a co They agreed to do so ti out oing r of the 3 3 b 1 yan agree e cable 3 5 c Deputy Chief Latin America Di vi sion 3 5 c 13 Aug 76 Approved for Release 2018 09 17 C02218144 I - -- This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu