MEETING OF INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP ON SYMINGTON SUB-COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON THAILAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP71B00364R000300230004-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 8, 2002
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: November 5, 1969
• Content Type: MF

IGRO, CFE/
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
November 5, 1969
Approved For Reuse 2002/09/03 CIA-RDP71 BQft#{002Q_p4-PLC,, ADDP,
25X1A
SECRET -
MEMORANDUM FOR THE FILES
FROM: PM/JW - Joseph J. Wolf
SUBJECT: Meeting of Interdepartmental Working Group
on Symington Sub-Committee Hearings on Thailand
The Interdepartmental Working' Group met at 11:00 a.m.,
November 5, under 'the chairmanship of Ambassador McClintock,
with Ambassador Unger and the DOD witnesses present, to
review the state of preparation for the.hearings.
Amb. McClintock reminded that the Committee wanted
prepared testimony at least 24 hours in advance of the
hearing concerned. Amb. Unger reported that they had
decided to have ?a single prepared statement which would
respond to all the questions asked. Amb. McClintock said
the initial statement should'be drawn with the intent of
making it public, and should be as comprehensive as possible
to present the Administration's case well.
Amb. McClintock reported that the Secretary was now
reviewing the Philippine and Lacs transcripts, reflecting
his concern at the political impact of public records in
these hearings. Amb. Unger ran over the points that would
i be prepared, as covered in the November 4 memorandum
distributed. Amb. McClintock suggested to try to keep the
testimony within the terms. of reference. of the Committee,
i.e., commitments, and the need to keep-the focus off of -
corruption.
Amb. Unger said that Mr. Tanham would cover counter-
insurgency to the extent that he could but might need to
call on other agencies for'backup. Amb. McClintock stressed
that.we should keep Mr. Helms out of this F~.earinn 11 at all
possible; if a matter `within Mr: ' Henis r competency arose,
the witness should say that he was instructed not to answer.
State Deptfreview completed
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There was a thorough discussion of the various aspects
of Thai participation .in Laos. explained the
scope of the Helms testimony on Laos. It was agreed
that,. if possible, the witness would say that thee matter
had been handled in the Helms testimony; if it dealt with
something else, for example, the subjects covered in the
Sullivan testimony, the question could be taken under
advisement and referred to the Secretaries.
Amb. McClintock said that the Secretary believed
that witnesses should not give personal opinions-and this
point of view was echoed by Mr: Mollenhoff, who said there
was no need to speculate. A distinction was drawn between
professional and institutional judgment and personal opinion,
however.
Amb. McClintock suggested that with respect to com-
mitments, the focus should be on the SEATO Treaty as
being the source of an extent of the U.S. commitments,
Material should not be submitted on the Thai Government's
commercial interests, but this should be handled in oral
questioning which would have to be TOP SECRET. There was
a lengthy. discussion of the possibility of,going off-the-
record, with pros and cons thereof explored. Amb. McClintock
noted that there were three most sensitive issues: events
leading up to contingency planning, the Thai role in Laos,
and corruption. Amb. Unger proposed to handle the first
by referring to the Secretary's letter to'the Committee
,of July 21 and saying that if further details were wanted,
they could be taken up with Ambassador Martin. The others
would have to be handled on a highly classified basis or,.
.in extremis, , going OFF7THE-RECORD. He thought Taksin
'should be referred to Graham Martin, but Mr. French thought
that there should be no discussion of the'talks leading
up to the Taksin plan. Amb. McClintock and Amb. Unger
pointed out this was already covered by the Secretary's
letter.
Mr..French took the position that neither the bilateral
agreement. for.air.defense nor the rules of engagement
should be furnished, but the essence thereof could be
testified to by witnesses in response to. questions.
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General Petitt would handle this. There was considerable
discussion as to whether the agreement, as distinguished
from the rules of engagement, was an operational plan the
disclosure of which would jeopardize U.S. forces, with
Gen. Petitt believing that it would not, and State believing
that it would be important to put the agreement in the
classified record, but not publish it. Mr. French agreed
to consider the matter further.
Air Force reported that it was preparing a highly
classified document which could be-declassified for the
record on Task Force Alpha. Amb. McClintock provided
Amb. Unger with the Mooxe contingency press line on
mercenaries and Amb. Unger stressed the importance of.the
Administration initiative to get its story over.
Amb. McClintock stressed the need to get the 48
documents requested by-the Committee up to the Committee
as soon as possible, if appropriate. It was agreed that
USIA and AID would have witnesses ready, if necessary.
Mr. Knaur reported that Paul had said he was calling
a Coast Guard witness, presumably in connection with
25X1A Loran C. noted that the full Committee had
drawn upon testimony in the Laos hearings to request AID
for information on Air America. He thought this might
be a precedent for the future.
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