MEMO TO ALEXANDER HAIG FROM LES JANKA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: October 20, 2011
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: December 3, 1971
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12: LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
4e,
ACTION
December 3, 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR: GENERAL HAIG
FROM: LES JANKA
John King, in the Public Affairs Office at State Department, called
me to tell me that he has received several calls last night and one
this morning from a Paul Stevens of the Boston Herald Traveler.
Stevens has been talking with Governor Sargent who has apparently
shown or told Stevens about a letter from the President which Stevens
feels indicates that the President has assured Sargent that the Presi-
dent will raise the prisoner issue (Fecteau, Downey, et al.) when
he goes to China. Stevens also says that Sargent has told him of a
second personal telephone conversation with the President in which
the President reiterated these assurances and, according to Stevens,
implied that he might even bring the four prisoners back with him.
(Tab B)
such assurances.., But somehow Stevens is getting reports of greater
promises from Governor Sargent. As sensitive as this is, I would
think you would want to bring this to Henry's and possibly Haldeman's
attention, perhaps to have them get to Sargent to turn this guy off
before a press story comes out which forces us to issue a denial and
therefore appear to make a liar out of a friendly governor.
The P ? s de.n ~s lcLie r? to Sai ~Yt is aUac -a:t c(W, Ii: a ., cuur.s?e- contains no
Obviously, this also has sensitivies for the Chinese since they 'might
misinterpret a public statement like this and the results could be an
inadvertent complication of whatever chance we might have to get the
prisoners back.
If you feel it is eeded, a memorandum from HAK to Haldeman is
attached inform ng Haldeman of the situation and suggesting that he
call Sargent to 1urn off this story before it starts. (Tab A)
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12 : LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12: LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
Ir 19,71
r9OMMUZI
MEMORANDUM Y OR; R. H. HALDEMAN
FROM: HENRY A. KISSINGER 151
SUBJECT: Governor Sargent and PRC
Prisoners
The Public Affairs Office at State Department has informed us that
reporter of the er IEU*Igr has been tallUog with
Sargent who has apparently told the reporter about a letter
e President IndicatingPresidential assurances that the Presi-
dent will raise is Peking the matter of four U. S. citizens held by the
PRC. The reporter also claims that Governor Sargent has told hixn
of a telephone conversation he had with the President in which the
President reiterated these assurances and according to the reporter
Died that he might even 'bring the four prisoners back with hiam.
This is clearly' a sensitive matter since the President's letter
(Attached) did not contain such assurances but a press story on this
'matter could ghee a wrong signal to the Chinese and complicate the
possibility for the release of the prisoners and additionally put the
Administration in the position of having to deny a story attributed to
a friendly governor. It would be helpful it you could call Governor
Sargent and inform him of this reporterrgoing off the track and ask
the Governor to talk with the Vapor to prevent any misleading story
from emerging.
Attachment
9O;Z4J"IENTIAL
LJ:rm:l2/3/71
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12 : LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12: LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
w?a~~:~~;c~acs~
mar Frank:
of two o0icr zcrz~ ...n.,
you c;an be cc~x{1clcltt tl~at I con.sic ex' their
ortance.
,ware. oL 1 , 1 1 C a
? , mpriso:led in O}xii-La.
May I assure you that I .m quite t.IO 0'agl1IY
? siCu?tiwa, as Well that
'ohn T. Downey.
1
Ia1i?l:t of l~xc Zap c
- C; `ecte:tu and
~E7il.1ti6y 6v aw?' -
Fit china,
'h .nk you for yeur letter of :Auf,uS t1 30
,kr
4...?S..a ~+t.w ?... 02133
l3ostofl abSacliusctt.s
Sincerel.yt,
Ilanoralalc 1"rands Wi Sargent
... - -- _..rt1l,~Wt..?1t S
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12: LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
V
TsLx ' Jzr,..l. tJDENT
x 1 !4.?t? A. I'USSLNGE R
V
u -erttc:d Reply from You to Cxwarnor
01
Go:ac?; z t~ix~t
gf MZItich :saetta
S,.rc.i"at oI Se
~
c
Mr,sr,rR. Richard U. Fecteau F.n1
.XOX'In T. ).Downey
d ..c iy from you tz) Governor urgent, who
i,~ .x- : ~:. suing to intercede durfnf; your trip to C:iit a to
John w
r' ~az~~x~cnt tl;Grc'. The reply tats 01,"t You
~ti"i '."?~'k~'+ ~. r~'",%~it r of great irriporULnCee
04.
t w
and Dowrxy
c it reply has been cleared with Ray Price's office.
you 1 t17c proposed letter to Governor Sargent at Tab A.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12 : LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12: LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
++ eCa
fn ~
to mir
W !:: i'a F 7:w ~t y to a v r1 u Ian.
W, it fir; -a s~aa,:;r~.ax'r~acc?inn to thae
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12 : LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
 No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12: LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8
IF
lp
jog 02133
1971
~+,,.eX7E ca to 1ltV-0
w v aGl#~ ,g11iG3 I G~ "
f0XacIra the Cc 3w1a
1 }ti
s o : ve r._.`Y"RC:11 b 'Ct.?. n c,an C`wul D X'
S' $~ fiaFdr it $ 1C.~;: Cg G. ~ r R~:1 ti"'rl 4C{?~ ];' i
3.v it".
C
.k~x :a'R...l.k
r r { i+ ic: La:s t a
}+jnc :}i C ~-Kr
v'~a:..ca
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2012/03/12 : LOC-HAK-18-6-25-8