LETTER TO THE HONORABLE ABRAHAM A. RIBICOFF FROM RICHARD G. KLEINDIENST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000300070009-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 14, 2007
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: September 13, 1971
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2007/12/14: CIA-RDP73B00296R000300070009-3
OFFICE QF THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20530
SP 1 3 1.g7l
Honorable 1-ibra1lain A. Ribicoff
Chairman, Subcoluvai.'tteE on i Y;ecuti.v::
}. eorgani.zat:~ on mid Co`i%(J':Crl7t1ent E'.search
Corffr.1:i_tte on Government Operations
U11-ii-wed 3tat.es it cl1c,te
Washington, D. ,C. 2051x
7/- 097/
Th s. 'i .; in ~_ efer ~nf e to your letter of Jul 9,
1971 y ir.Ti 7_n the At torne-:~y General to appear, along ,7ith
S'-'.cre.tary . of State Rogers, De f ens Secretary Laird, a-id
'C..l.(a Director' hIrAr:?s , before a11 executive Session of th
,SuiSCO::tliilJ_~:tee on Executive Reorganization and Gove.-n;reut
7 1 + y
~~.E.;r:,:'.t3;Z'O!1 c.nC! the Sl1bCOiti::l.:L j,:i;cU' on xntPrgOVeri`iIT1E:2itc:.l Relations
to discuss the complicity of top Laotian, Thai and Vietnamese
? ' ='
officials in the drug traffic in S autia.east Asia.
The delay in the response to this invitati..oc was
occasioned by our efforts to canvass the various sour-es of
=r rifo ;,ra io;1 to dote _lr.ln:ee whst pertinent facts are a i.1_abl.c.
Certainly, allegations of compl.ici_ty, on t :ee part
Of. some public offs :i.ci als have come to our attention. At
the Same time, however, we do not have any specific evidence
which links any high official in the Southeast A,,J ar, coup-
t7:i_es with the narcotic traffic there. Thus, we Cho not feel.
that it would be cr. llt'opri~':t.c to testify. Further, Even a
closed session on the subject could fan unfounded ru-lors
and cause possible international repercussions.
NOTE: Identical ltr. to: Hon.Edmund S. Muskie
Chairman, Subc. on Intergovernmental Relations
Committee on Government Operations
United States Senate
DOJ review(s)
completed.
CRC, 6/4/2003
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You are corrcjct: in your assessment of the pi ohlem'
of drug traffic among our servicemen as being most ur?,ent.
The ready supply of heroin in Vietnam is a very real problem.
The United States Government has taken a very active
role in encouraging-the South Vietnamese Government to redu.ce
the supply of heroin. Moreover, the United States military
is responding to this problem, not only in Vietnam, but on a
worldwide basis. it is taking decisive actions to idctritify
servicemen who are using heroin, to detoxify those dependent
on heroin, and to offer further rehabilitation to thove who
need additional assistance.
Let me express our appreciation for the prorpt
attention which you have given the Administration's iT!r-ortant
proposal to establish the Special Action Office'for Drug
Abuse Prevention.
Sincerely,
Richard G. Kleindienst
Deputy Attorney General
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UVl31 1VL.''''' **+
Journal off ice of Legislative Counsel Page 3
Tuesday - 7 September 1971
25X1
25X1
8. Roy Bullock, Staff Administrator, House 25X1
Foreign Affairs Committee, called about the request which Representative
Lee Hamilton, Chairman of the Near East Subcommittee, had made for the
appearance of an Agency witness before his Subcommittee on the situation
in the Middle East. Bullock said he planned to raise this question with
Chairman Morgan since Hamilton had written to him on the subject. He
asked what the "protocol" was on this. I told him that in the past we had
accepted a verbal indication that Chairman Morgan endorsed the request of
a subcommittee chairman for a briefing, but we agreed that under the rules
under which the House is now operating, it might be desirable for the
Chairman to submit these requests in writing. I told Bullock that I would
give this some thought and be back in touch with him tomorrow.
9. Walter Ochinko, Congressional Research 25X1
Service, Library of Congress, called to say he had been referred to us by
Mr. Swain, Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous ru s in connection with
a request the Library has received for a study on the use of heroin in Southeast
Asia. Swain suggested that Ochinko ask the Agency for a copy of a research
paper which we recently prepared on the subject of heroin in Southeast Asia.
This matter has been referred to O/DDI, and in
office, for response.
John Lehman, White House staff, called to
advise us of a letter which the President has received from Chairman John
Stennis, Senate Armed Services Committee, on the CIA funding of operations
in Laos. The Director has been advised of this conversation. See Memo for
Record.
11. Mr. Peter Stark, in the office of
Representative John Schmitz (R. , Calif.), called and asked if we could
supply him with a map of SE Asia depicting the areas of insurgent activities
for their use in the office. I told him I would look into it and be back in
touch. Mr. OBGI, is working on this.
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