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BOB DOLE KANSAS
United States Senate
OFFICE OF THE REPUBLICAN LEADER
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-7020
(Handwritten)
Attendees - 3:00 Contra Meeting 7/27
Dole
[illegible]
Cochran
Pressler
Hollings
Simpson
Karnes
Lugar
Wallop
McCain
Bond
Boschwitz
Domenici
Kasten
Symms
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MEMORANDUM
July 27, 1988
To :
SENATOR DOLE
From:
AL LEHN
Subject:
MEETING WITH CONTRA DIRECTORATE, JULY 27, 3:00 PM
INVITEES. We have invited more than 20 Senators (including all on the Central American Observers Group) , but we're not getting a very positive response. So far the following have said they will attend :
DOLE MCCAIN KASTEN (will try) STEVENS (stop by) BREAUX SYMMS (stop by) COCHRAN
BREAUX CHILES (will try)
DIRECTORATE MEMBERS. There are seven on the Directorate; five are in town and will attend:
Adolfo CALERO
Wicliffe DIEGO
Roberto FERREY
Wilfredo MONTALBAN
Enrique BERMUDEZ
Bermudez, Diego and Montalban are newly elected members of the Directorate. The most controversial is Bermudez, a former Somoza National Guardsman (though a relatively clean one) , who has been military commander of the contras. He was elected to the Directorate only after a bitter internal fight, during which one former leader (Chamorro) resigned, and several senior military officers were ousted. You met Bermudez in Honduras during your trip last year.
PRESS. You might get some press questions, either on:
o Your contra aid legislation: $27 million humanitarian; $20 million lethal, escrowed, to be put on Defense Appropriations.
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o Bermudez and internal dissent in the contra leadership: You can indicate that these are matters for the contras to work out themselves -- but that you are satisfied that Bermudez is committed to the democratic principles in the contaras political program and has done a good job as military leader; and that the contras are working out their differences, through processes like electing the new Directorate.
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