CHILE: THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE CHILEAN GOVERNMENT'S POSITION IN THE NATIONAL REF

Created: 1/11/1978

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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CHXt.E! HE ENDORSEMENT Or THE CHILEAN GOVERNMENT'S POSITION IN THE NATIONAL REFERENDUM LAST UEEKLEAR PERSONAL VICTORY fitK PRESIDENT PINOCltcl THAT EXCEEDED HIS OWN EXPECTATIONS-THE TtHHOUT MASILLION OF ALMOST k

lirUSION ELIGIBLE VOTERS. Wl I'HERCENT TAV0RIN6 THE GOVERNMENT'S

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KLMECTIOHJ Of THE UN RESOlLTION CENSURING CHILE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

j E HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYED FRAUD IN THE PLEBISCITE. THE GOVERNMENT POSITION HAS CAREFULLY HORDED TO APPEAL TO THE STRONG NATIONALISM OF THE CHILEANS". PINOCHET THEREBY ASSURED HIMSELF OF AN OVERWHELMING ADVANTAGE AGAINST THOSE GROUPS THAI'EGATIVE

I INOCHET'S VICTORY WILL CONSOLIDATE HIS SUPPORT UITHlN THE MILITARYi PARTICULARLY THE WHERE DOUBT ABOUT HIS JUDGMENT AND LEADERSHIP UAS BEGINNING TO SPREAD. AND HILL REAFFIRM HISPOSITION IN THE JUNTA ESULT* JIE UILLREER HAND IN

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//PINOCHET LI ILL NOT HESITATE TO POINT TO THE REFERENDA RESULTS AS EVIDENCE OF HIS GOVERNMENT'S LEGITIMACY AND OF HIS OWN POLITICAL ASTUTENESS. HE HAS REMARKED THAT THERE UILL EE NO MORE ljc ELECTION OR VOTINGND EVIDENTLY INTENDS TO ACT AS THOUGH HE NOVANDATE FOR THE SLOW TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN RULE THAT HE OUTLINED LAST

//HIS REMARKS ON PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN INCONSISTENT, HOWEVER, AND ME HAY SHOW SOME FLEXIBILITY ON THIS POINT. THE CHILEANS, HAVING BEEN ALLOWED TO EXERCISE THE VOTE, ARE NOW LIKELV TO BE MORE STRIDENT IN DEMANDING GREATER POLITICAL PARTICIPATION.

//WE EXPECT NO HARSH CRACKDOWNS, BUT PINOCHET WILL ALMOST CERTAINLYOUGHER TOWARD HIS OPPONENTS IN THE OUTLAWED POLITICAL PARTIES AND IN LAUOR AND CHURCH CIRCLES- ALTHOUGH HE HAS PROCLAIMED THAT THE CURFEW AND THE STAIL-OF-SIEGE RESTRICTIONS MILL REMAIN IN FORCE, THEREOOD CHANCE THAT HE UILL RELAX THEM WHEN HE THINKS HE HAS MADE THE POIUT THAT CrilLC IS NOT SENDING TO FOREIGNINOCHET WILL. HOWEVER, WEED OUT DISSENTERS WITHIN

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GOVERNMENT. HE HAS ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTION TO RE?RCANIZE_ THE PORE;CN MINISTRY. UMBER Or OFFICIALS IN THISINCLUDING THE FOREIGN MINISTER* ADMIRALPROTESTED THE CALL TOR THE REFERENDUM. THE JUNTA HEMBCRS WHO OPPOSED THEAIK FORCE CHIEF LEIGH AND NAVY CHIEFBE FORCED TO STEP

//LEIGH IS STILL SNIPING AT PINOCHET. ALTHOUGH HEREAFFIRMED HIS LOYALTY AND SURSHED OFF SUGGESTIONS OFH

ISOWER-HUNGRY DICTATOR. LEIGH ALSO ALLEGED THAT THE CIA IS BACKING HARD-LINERS IN HOPES OF TOPPLING THE PRESIDENT..

//LEIGH'S MOTIVES ARE FAR FROMUT HIS STATEMENTSALMOST CERTAIN TOMAKE HIS POSITION EVEN MORE UNTENABLE-LEIGH HAY BE TRYING TO PROVOKE PINOCHET INTO REMOVING HIM. PERHAPS UN THE ASSUMPTION THATTEP MOULD CATALYZE OPPOSITION WITHIN THE ARMED SERVICES AND LEAD TO PINOCHET'S REMOVAL .

//PINOCHCT HAS STRESSED THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WILL NOTORE AGGRESSIVE FOREIGN POLICY, PRESUMABLY INCLUDING A

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HARDER LINE TOUARD THE UN 'ND OTHER CRITICS./^

//IT IS DIFFICULT TO JUDGE HOId HE UILL PLAY THEWITH THE US. ALTHOUGH IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH WASHINGTONUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVE OF HIS GOVERNMENT, PINOCHET PROOABLY BELIEVESPECIFIC flUID PROAS SUPPORT FOR CHILE'S REQUESTS FOR LOANS THROUGHlllM--FOR FURTHER RESPONSES ON HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES. THE CHILEAN APPROACH YO THE US FOR MEDIATION ON THE BEAGLE CHANNEL DISPUTE UXTH ARGENTINA DEMONSTRATES SOME HOPE FOR GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE US./(

//CHILE HAS MADE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS IN IMPROVINGRIGHTS PRACTICES, AND MOST CHILEANS PROBABLY RESENTACK Of RECOGNITION OF THIS CHANGE. AMONG THENOTEDORGANTZATIONS ARE.

ARKED REDUCTION IN REPORTS OF TORTUREi ILLEGAL DETENTIONS, AND

ONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT IK TREATMENT OF POLITICAL

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Original document.

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