ONTRICH DEBRIEFING SKILLET/ONTRICH/GALVEZ NEGOTIATIONS

Created: 4/25/1954

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

- CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM RELEASE AS SANITIZED

ONTRICH DEBRIEFING SKULET/OHTRICH/Galvci Negotiations

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The above ref cables plus pouched messages to LINCOUJomplete picture of OSTRICH'S activities duringarch loU, stay in Tegucigalpa and trip to San Salvador.

hree hour meeting betweon SKILLET/ONTRICHKTLIET Informed ONTRICH that he had been told on the highest possible authority before departing Washington that his Job was to see that equipment transited his country and that if he exceeded his authority, to make sure nobody could prove it and there was plausible denial.

All of OSTRICH'S work was alsolausible denial basis, since it is virtually impossible to get any work done otherwise.

All contacts made by SKILLET with Honduran officials made use of, mil possible cutouts and all without witnesses. sood position to deny all if tho necessity ever arises. He always prefaced evory discussion on tha subject with the United States non-intervention theme andersonal basis he would like to sfe Communism unrooted in the Hemisphere.

At this point the danger of the Honduran officials involved

disclosing U. S. intervention is snail since after the first shipment of arms was received by them makes them accomplices and they will never barn themselves in order to disclose intervention on the part of Uncle Sam.

The Honduran political situation at the present time is much more delicate than any situation they could ever put the u, S, in.

The political situation in Honduras was such at thepersonal problems

were so bad that short of applying all possible means ofthe use ofwould have been completely

ineffectualo take positive action at this

time.

It was perfectly obvious after both SKILLET's andcontactthat nobody was under any kind

of illusion about the WHITE PAPER ornd if SKILLET or OHTBICHtried in any way toit would have been impossible

for SKILLET to sot up the excellent rapport with CL. which haa allowed us to advance PBSUCCESS to the present stage.

At the time of ONTRlCH's arrival in Tegucigalpa on 25ad not disclosed his meeting with

excepttherefore, was the only possible

person through whom ONTRICH couldeetingcontact was arranged by ONTRICH with SKILLET who deliveredenvelope vith ONTRlCH's name to turn delivered

it tomeans of contact was satisfactory and the

urnished ONTRICH with his personal phone numberime for ONTRICH to call.

After ONTRlCH's contact withC Jit was obvious the manto help but had many problems, some of which werepersonal. At that time his biggest problemwasoyal and trustworthyall operations stalmated because of thindecision

which would

have possibly turned the government into chaos, it was necessarypositive steps to remedy the situation.

situations paveonderful opportunity to get close C. discuss thQTproblentf and throw.in two cents worth for PBSUCCESS.time the^ problem was settled, in which SKILLET playedrole, thereery close personal relationship and SKILLET. In the meantime ONTRICH had approaches Cl as in constant contact wit).on the

problems of PBSUCCESS.

The big break cameu^ his

in on the matter. This gave CALLIGERIS andirectans by which to alleviate many of his problems

and worries, especially the one concerning CALLEGERIS P 3

Aftei elt safer about his political situation and his

personal problems vere somewhat relieved by good news about his

in New fork, he proceeded immediately to selectwho turned out to

wasto SKILLET by C_ J

ONTRICR's plans were then to place himself in personal contact with

ork out the details for the arrival of the first flights. At this point OKTRICH was recalled to LTNCOIii for debriefing.

Original document.

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