NBC MEET THE PRESS: DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE, KENNETH DAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000201410002-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 6, 2010
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: January 8, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/06: CIA-RDP90-00552R000201410002-3
STAT
NBC MEET THE PRESS
8 January 1984
KALE: Good day from Washington. I am Marvin Kalb, inviting
Vou to Meet the Press with the Deputy Secretary of State, Kenneth Dam.
ANNOUNCER: Meet the Press, an unrehearsed press conference, is
a public affairs presentation of NBC News.
K_-LE: Our guest today on Meet the Press is one of the top men
in charge of-U.S. foreign policy, Deputy Secretary of State,
Kenneth Dam. A native of Kansas, a lawyer, a former official
of the University of Chicago, Mr. Dam is the author of several
books on international economics. Be is also the closest
associate of Secretary of State Shultz. Our reporters today
are Hedrick\Smith of The New York Times, Georgie\Anne\Geyer of
Universal Syndicate, Joseph Kraft of The Los Angeles Times
Syndicate, and to open the questioning, our own regular
panelist Eill\Monroe of NBC, News.
SMITH: Mr. Secretary, it's been some time since the attempt
was made on the life of the pope in Rome. There are continuing
accusations coming out of Italy that the Bulgarian secret
service was behind the Turkish gunman who shot at the pope, and
behind the Bulgarians were the Soviets. What is the American
government's assessment of that situation? Is that true?
DAM: I don't think that the American government has a position
on that question. We're interested in finding out what the
magistrate in Italy determines. We obviously would be very
concerned if that were to prove to be the case. But we don't
have a position on that....
KALE: Why not? DAM: ...but we want to look at the facts.
KALB: Why don't you have.a position on that? DAM: Why, don't
we hav_e... ?
KALB: You know, why doesn't the United States government have
a-position on-something that important? DAM: It's a question
of fact.
KALB: Don't you have the facts? DAM: We do not.... Let me
say this. We have, obviously, looked into this, through
intelligence means and otherwise. But we do not have a
sufficient basis for making a public declaration.
SMITH: There are charges by some people, including an author
.named Clare Sterling, who's made quite a study of this, has a
book out on it, that the American government does know and is
deliberately covering up the facts. What's your response to
that charge? DAM: I don't have, I don't know of any basis for
that statement.
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/06: CIA-RDP90-00552R000201410002-3