171. Memorandum From President Nixon to Secretary of State Rogers1

SUBJECT

  • Determination and Authorization of the Grant to the Kingdom of Thailand of up
    to $50 Million in Defense Articles and Services in FY 1973

In accordance with the recommendation in your memorandum of July 12,2 I hereby:

A.
Determine, pursuant to Section 614(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, (22 U.S.C. 2364), that the use of up to $50 million of funds available in FY 1973 for the grant of defense articles and services, including excess defense articles, to Thailand, without regard to the requirement of Section 514 of the Act, is important to the security of the United States; and
B.
Authorize, pursuant to Section 614(a) of the Act, such use of up to $50 million of funds for the grant of defense articles and services, including excess defense articles, to Thailand, without regard to the requirements of Section 514 of the Act.

[Page 372]

You are requested on my behalf to notify the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of my intention to take this action, in accordance with Section 652 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, and to specify an effective date for this determination.

This determination shall be classified SECRET and shall not be published in the Federal Register. Such publication would be harmful to the security of the United States because it could jeopardize continuing use by the United States of Royal Thai Air Force bases by raising the issue of the nature of our defense relationship with Thailand.

Richard Nixon
  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, White House Special Files, President’s Office Files, Chronological File, 1/1/72–12/21/72. Secret.
  2. Not found.