Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–12, Documents on East and Southeast Asia, 1973–1976
Chapter VII: Malaysia and Singapore: Document List
Document 291: Memorandum From John Holdridge and Richard Kennedy of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, March 1, 1973.
Kissinger agreed with Holdridge’s and Kennedy’s recommendation that the U.S. Air Force continue directed procurement of air repair service in Singapore.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 559, Country Files, Far East, Singapore, 1972–. Secret. Sent for action. Tab A, the draft State/Defense cable on procurement policy, and Tab B, Kissinger’s memoranda of May 7 and June 28, 1971, are attached but not published. Kissinger initialed his approval of both recommendations on March 6.
Document 292: Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, April 10, 1973, 10:30–11:03 a.m.
Kissinger and Lee discussed the international situation in East Asia.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 938, VIP Visits, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, April 10, 1973. Secret; Sensitive. The conversation took place in Kissinger’s office in the White House. Holdridge’s talking points for Kissinger, April 9, are ibid.
Document 293: Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, April 10, 1973, 11:13 a.m. –12:18 p.m.
Nixon and Lee discussed international affairs.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 938, VIP Visits, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, April 10, 1973. Secret. The conversation took place in the White House. Undated talking points from Kissinger to the President, which the President saw, are ibid.
Document 294: Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, April 11, 1973, 9:50–10:20 a.m.
Kissinger and Lee discussed Southeast Asia.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1027, Presidential/HAK memcons, Folder 5, April–November 1975. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The conversation took place in Kissinger’s Office. On August 4, 3:30–4:40 p.m., Lee and Kissinger met in a conference room at Kennedy International Airport in New York. A memorandum of conversation from their meeting, which mainly discussed affairs in Indochina, is ibid., folder 3.
Document 295: Memorandum From W.R. Smyser of the National Security Council Staff to Secretary of State Kissinger, Washington, January 30, 1975.
Smyser proposed a NSSM on U.S. military access to Singapore.
Source: Ford Library, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–34, NSSM 218, U.S. Policy Toward U.S. and Soviet Military Access to Singapore. Secret. Sent for action. Concurred in by Granger and Oakley. In the top right-hand corner of the first page, Kissinger wrote, “Give new date + then issue.” On the second page, an unknown hand crossed out “draft memorandum to the President at Tab I” and wrote, “NSSM at Tab A.” Attached but not printed is Tab A, NSSM 218. [Malaysia/Singapore, 1973–1976, NSSM 218, 3/3/75]
Document 296: National Security Study Memorandum 218, Washington, March 3, 1975.
Kissinger asked the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the CIA to review U.S. policy toward U.S. and Soviet military access to Singapore.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Staff for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, Convenience Files, Box 10, Singapore, NSSM 218. Secret. A copy was sent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The NSSM 218 study was cancelled and did not result in a meeting.
Document 297: Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 8, 1975, noon–1 p.m.
Ford, Lee, and Kissinger discussed the situation in East Asia after the fall of South Vietnam.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversation, Box 11. Secret; Sensitive. The conversation took place in the Oval Office. Ford’s talking points from Kissinger, which the President saw, are available ibid., VIP Visits, Box 8.
Document 298: Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 8, 1975.
Kissinger and Lee conferred on U.S. policy toward East Asia.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Records of Secretary of State Kissinger, E5403, Box 23. Secret; Sensitive. The paper that Lee gave Kissinger is not further identified.
Document 299: Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, May 9, 1975, 2:30–4 p.m.
Lee and Schlesinger conversed on the implications of the fall of South Vietnam.
Source: Washington National Records Center, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 330–78–0038, Singapore, 333, 1975 May 30. Secret; Sensitive. The memorandum of conversation was prepared by Holmberg and approved by Ellsworth. The conversation took place in Schlesinger’s office. Ellsworth’s talking points for Schlesinger, May 8, are ibid. Scowcroft’s talking points for Schlesinger, May 9, are in Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Staff for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, Convenience Files, Box 21, Visit of PM Lee of Singapore, May 8, 1975 (1).
Document 300: Memorandum of Conversation, Washington, September 30, 1975.
Kissinger and Rithauddeen discussed U.S. relations with Malaysia.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, P–820123–2578. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Sheppard and approved by Covey.
Document 301: Memorandum From Thomas J. Barnes of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft), Washington, November 5, 1975.
Barnes recommended that Scowcroft request an NIE on “Prospects for Stability in Malaysia.”
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Agency File, Box 2, Central Intelligence Agency, 12/15/1975. Secret. Sent for action. Richard Ober, a staff member of the NSC involved in intelligence coordination, concurred in the memorandum. Tab A, telegram 250586, October 21, to Singapore; Tab B, telegram 250585, October 21, to Kuala Lumpur; Tab C, telegram 5840, October 1, from Kuala Lumpur; and D, telegram 4398, October 9, from Singapore, are attached but not published. Tab E is published as Document 297. Tab F, Lee’s warning to Kissinger, is not further identified. A handwritten note on the last page of the memorandum indicates that Scowcroft verbally approved the request for the NIE.
Document 302: National Intelligence Estimate 54–1–76, Washington, April 1, 1976.
The estimate assessed the likelihood of instability in Malaysia during the next few years.
Source: Central Intelligence Agency, OPI 122 (National Intelligence Council), Job 91R00884R, Box 5, NIE 54–1–76, Folder 17. Secret. All members of the USIB concurred in the estimate except the representatives of the FBI and the Deputy Assistant Administrator for National Security, Energy Research and Development Administration. The intelligence organizations of the Army, Navy, and Air Force also participated in the estimate.