OFFER TO TESTIFY IN FAVOR OF U.S.G. ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTRAS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01370R000801110102-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 102
• Publication Date: December 3, 1984
• Content Type: CABLE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/01: CIA-RDP90BO137OR000801110102-8
ceroFisenr~ro~
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OLL/LD
INCOMING
00 RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
STU6760
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DE RUFHFR #5795 3381640
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0 031639Z DEC 84
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2794
BT
CONF IDENT IALPARIS45795
E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL, PINS, NU, FR
SUBJECT: OFFER TO TESTIFY IN FAVOR OF U.S.G. ASSISTANCE
TO THE CONTRAS
2. SUMMARY: :I fRA t1S OEMIAU. A RESPECTED
FRENCH OPPOSI1` Ml1ttylCIAN'M 1 GENTLY VISITED
Impasm MtLLiM T
O~fiAMpltr
45 lei
ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTRAS. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND
THAT THE ADMINISTRATION TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS
OPPORTUNITY; DENIAU WOULD BE A CREDIBLE
WITNESS WITH FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE AND VIEWS
STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY.
EMBASSY REQUESTS IMMEDIATE GUIDANCE.
END SUMMARY
3. JEAN-FRANCOIS DENIAU, A RESPECTED OPPOSITION
FIGURE WHO SERVED AS GISCARD'S MINISTER OF FOREIGN
TRADE, IS CURRENTLY DOING SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS
FOR THE RIGHT-OF-CENTER FIGARO MAGAZINE.
IN THIS CAPACITY HE SPENT TWELVE DAYS LATE
THIS SUMMER WITH STEDMAN FAGOTH AND THE MISURA.
HE DESCRIBED HIS EXPERIENCES AND THE STRUGGLE
OF THE MISKITO INDIANS IN A LENGTHY COVER
STORY WHICH APPEARED IN THE SEPTEMBER 8 EDITION
OF THE FIGARO MAGAZINE. DENIAU CHARACTERIZED
THE PLIGHT OF THE MISKITOS IN A MARXIST SOCIETY
WITH NO PLACE FOR THEM AS SYMBOLICALLY EQUIVALENT
TO THAT OF SAKHAROV, THE ERITREANS. OR THE
CAMBODIANS. HE LAMENTED THE FAILURE OF THE WORLD
TO RALLY SUFFICIENTLY TO THEIR DEFENSE. THE
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTED THE MARXIST-LENINIST
NATURE OF THE SANDINISTA REGIME AND THE
DISINFORMATION EFFORTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
NOTING THAT THE U.S. CONGRESS HAD RECENTLY
CUT OFF USG FUNDING FOR THE CONTRA EFFORTS
IN NICARAGUA, DENIAU POINTED ITT THAT"THE
MISKITOS WERE DETERMINED TO CONTINUE THEIR
25X1
~en~Fisero~+at
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STRUGGLE DESPITE CRITICAL SHORTAGES OF SUPPLIES
AND EQUIPMENT.
BUT HE WOULD CLEARLY PREFER TO SEE CONTINUED AID.
4. IN A RECENT CONVERSATION WITH ME, DENIAU
EXPRESSED HIS WILLINGNESS TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE
U.S. CONGRESS ON HIS EXPERIENCE IN NICARAGUA
AND ON HIS VIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RENEWING
U.S.G. ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTRAS.
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THIS OPPORTUNITY. DENIAU IS A RESPECTED
OPPOSITION FIGURE WHOSE VIEWS ON THIS ISSUE ARE
STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE OF USG POLICY.
ARMED WITH HIS FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE IN NICARAGUA,
YET COMING FROM FRANCE, WHICH HAS BEEN SKEPTICAL
OF OUR CENTRAL AMERICAN POLICY, HE WOULD BE A
VERY CREDIBLE AND PERSUASIVE WITNESS.
5. ACTION REQUESTED: EMBASSY WOULD APPRECIATE
AT LEAST A PRELIMINARY REACTION TO THIS PROPOSAL
ASAP FOR CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS WITH DENIAU.
GALBRAITH
END OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/01: CIA-RDP90BO137OR000801110102-8