INFORMATION ITEMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-550-1-21-6
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 22, 2010
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: July 9, 1974
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/10/22: LOC-HAK-550-1-21-6
?7? w
WAS018
00 WT E34
DE WTE #4606 1900220
0 090203Z JUL 74
Fib THE SITUATION ROOM//TOHAK48//
TO BREMER/RODMAN FOR DR. KISSINGER
ZEM
T 0 P S E C R E T SENSITIVE CONTAINS CODEWORD VIA BLACK PATCH WH42421
TOHAK49
ON-FILE NSC RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS
APPLY
JULY 9, 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR:
FROM:
THE PRESIDENT
HENRY A. KISSINGER
SU3JECT: INFORMATION ITEMS
ISRAELI NAVAL COMMANDO RAIDS AGAINST LEBANON: ACCORDING TO
PRESS REPORTS, THE ISRAELIS CARRIED OUT NAVAL COMMANDO RAIDS
AGAINST THREE LEBANESE PORTS LAST EVENING, SINKING SEVERAL
SHIPS IN EACH LOCATION. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF CASUALTIES
AND THE ISRAELIS CLAIM THAT THEIR TROOPS ALL RETURNED SAFELY
TO BASE.
TANAKA MAKES MEDIOCRE SHOWING -IN UPPER HOUSE ELECTION: WITH
BETTER THAN THREE-QUARTERS OF THE VOTE COUNTED, PRIME MINI-
STER TANAKA'S LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY (LDP) HAS PRESERVED A
MAJORITY OF ONLY 2-4 SEATS IN THE UPPER HOUSE OF THE DIET.
THE GENERAL EXPECTATION WAS THAT TANAKA AND HIS LDP WOULD AT
LEAST HOLD ON TO THE EIGHT-SEA'T MARGIN THAT IT WENT INTO THE
JULY 7 ELECTION WITH. ALTHOUGH: THE RECORD TURNOUT VOTE (73
PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS) GAVE TANAKA'S LDP LESS THAN HOPED
FOR, THE RESULT NEVERTHELESS IS A GREAT IMPROVEMENT OVER HIS
PROSPECTS LAST SPRING, WHEN IT WAS THOUGHT LIKELY THAT HE
WOULD LOSE HIS UPPER HOUSE MAJORITY.
EARLY ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS INDICATES THAT THE PRINCIPAL
REASONS FOR HIS MEDIOCRE SHOWING WERE:
VOTER DISSATISFACTION THAT HIS GOVERNMENT HAD NOT
DONE MORE TO CURB JAPAN',S HIGH RATE OF INFLATION.
-- A BACKLASH FROM THE UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT TANAKA SPENT
TO GAIN A VICTORY IN HIS .CAMPAIGN -- ESTIMATES RUN
AS HIGH AS $90 MILLION.
THE SHORT-RUN CONSEQUENCES FOR TANAKA ARE LIKELY TO BE:
-- THAT HE WILL LOSE PART OF THE GROUND WITHIN THE
PARTY THAT HE HAS REGAINED WITHIN THE PAST TWO
MONTHS, AND THAT FINANCE MINISTER FUKUDA AND
OTHERS WILL STEP UP THEIR CRITICISM OF HIM -- AL-
THOUGH THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO MOUNT A SERIOUS CHALLENGE
IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
-- THAT HE WILL NOT HAVE STRENGTHENED HIS POSITION IN
THE DIET SUFFICIENTLY TO PUSH THROUGH LONG-CHERISHED
DOMESTIC PROJECTS SUCH AS ELECTORAL REDISTRICTING AND
END OF PAGE 01
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/10/22 : LOC-HAK-550-1-21-6
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/10/22: LOC-HAK-550-1-21-6
1 1w
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM THAT WOULD STRENGTHEN THE LDP'S
LEGISLATIVE POSITION.
-- THAT HE WILL CONTINUE HIS CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO
FOREIGN POLICY.
NICARAGUAN AMBASSADOR THREATENED: NICARAGUAN AMBASSADOR SEVILLA
SCASA HAS RECEIVED A THREATENING NOTE ALLEGEDLY FROM THE SYM-
BIONESE LIBERATION ARMY. THE LETTER CHARGED HIM AND FORMER
PRESIDENT GENERAL SOMOZA AND OUR AMBASSADOR TURNER SHELTON,
WITH CRIMES ASSOCIATED WITH EXPLOITING THE NICARAGUAN POOR AND
OPPOSING CHANGE IN THE STATUS QUO, SECURITY PRECAUTIONS ARE
BEING TIGHTENED AND THE FBI IS SEEKING FURTHER INFORMATION
N THE ORIGIN AND AUTHENTICITY OF THE LETTER.
MEXICAN
MEXICAN DEMARCHE RE CUBA: ACTING ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM PRESIDENT
ECHEVERRIA, MEXICAN FOREIGN SECRETARY RABAS4 CALLED IN AMBASSADOR
JOVA TO DISCUSS CUBA POLICY AND ECHEVERRIA' S UPCOMING TRIP TO
SEVERAL LATIN AMERIC"N COUNTRIES. RABASA SAID CUBA WOULD BE A
PRIMARY SUBJECT OF CONVERSATION IN MOST OF THE COUNTRIES ECHEVER-
RIA `COULD BE VISITING (ECUADOR, PERI', ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, AND
VENEZUELA). HE SAID MEXICO UNDERSTANDS DISCUSSIONS ARE UNDERWAY
ETWEEN COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA, VENEZUELA AND ECUADOR REGARDING
THE POSSIBILITY OF A JOINT MOVE TO REESTABLISH BILATERAL RELA-
TIONS WITH CUBA. ECHEVERRIA !!.ANTED TO INFORM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
THAT HE WOULD ENCOURAGE SUCH ACTION BY HIS HOSTS AND HE WOULD
SEEK SUPPORT FOR CUBAN ATTENDANCE AT THE NEXT HEMISPHERIC MEETING
OF FOREIGN MINISTERS AT BUENOS AIRES NEXT MARCH, ECHEVERRIA BE-
LIEVES THAT IT WOULD BE IN THE U.S. INTEREST TO REVISE ITS CUBA
POLICY BY LENDING SUPPORT TO THESE INITIATIVES AND ALSO BY TAKING
TEPS TOWARD THE RESTORATION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. IT IS HIS
HOPE THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT 'FILL AT LEAST BEGIN TO MOVE IN THAT
DIRECTION. RABASA ADDED THAT HE INTERPRETED CASTRO'S MORE TEM-
PERATE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE U.S. AND HIS RECENTLY STATED WILLING-
NESS TO MEET WITH ME (ON THE CONDITION THAT THE EMBARGO BE LIFTED)
AS SIGNALS. HE SAID HE HOPED UE WOULD, IN TURN, SEND SOME SIG-
NALS WHICH WOULD BE CONDUCIVE TO AN EVOLUTION OF THE SITUATION.
ARGENTINA--NUCLEAR ENERGY: ARGENTINA'S NUCLEAR ENERGY PROGRAM
REFLECTS AN INTENT ULTIMATELY TO ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND
FREEDOM FROM FOREIGN ENCUMBRANCES. THE SELECTION OF REACTOR
TYPES EASILY ADAPTABLE TO PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION HAS BEEN IN-
FLUENCED BY MILITARY RECOMMENDATIONS. ARGENTINA HAS NOT SIGNED
THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY, ALLEGEDLY TO KEEP OPEN ITS OPTION
FOR DEVELOPING NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES.
ARGENTINA'S FIRST REACTOR, BUILT BY A GERMAN FIRM, HAS RECENTLY
BECOME OPERATIONAL, AND ANOTHER REACTOR IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
BY A CANADIAN FIRM. THE GOVERNMENT HAS CALLED ON ARGENTINE
FIRMS FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NUCLEAR FUEL FAB-
R ICATION FACILITY AND FOR THE REACTIVATION OF A PILOT CHEMICAL
SEPARATION PLANT FOR THE PROCESSING OF SPENT FUEL FROM RESEARCH
REACTORS. ARGENTINA HAS TECHNICAL COOPERATION AGREEMENTS WITH
SEVERAL COUNTRIES ON NUCLEAR ENERGY AND ALSO HAS THE BENEFIT OF
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/10/22 : LOC-HAK-550-1-21-6
 SUBSTANTIAL NATURAL URANIUM RESERVES.
0926
#4606
N NN N
W.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/10/22 : LOC-HAK-550-1-21-6
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2010/10/22: LOC-HAK-550-1-21-6