FOIA Doc: Sec. of State's Response to Conference of Presidents Letter Betraying Pollard

J4JP Release - November 19, 2002

The following letter, recently obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, was sent to the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations by Secretary of State George P. Shultz to acknowledge with thanks receipt of a letter from Conference chairman Morris Abram which gave its seal of approval to the life sentence that had just been meted out to Jonathan Pollard - in complete violation of a plea agreement which Pollard honored and the government abrogated.

Dear Morris:

Thank you for your letter of March 10 and the statement issued by the Conference of Presidents on the Pollard affair. This forceful statement is completely consistent with the views of the United States government.

I agree with you that we must make clear to the Government of Israel that the Pollard affair and the treatment of Sella and Eitan are very serious matters, and that such espionage activities must never recur. At the same time, these incidents must not be allowed to undermine the basic strength of relations between Israel and the United States in which both countries have a great deal at stake.*(See J4JP note on underlined section.)

I would be pleased to get together with you on your return. I understand you will also be visiting Moscow, and I would be most interested in your impressions from that visit as well as your experience in Israel.

Sincerely yours,
(signed)

George P. Shultz

Mr. Morris B. Abram
Chairman,
Conference of Presidents of
Major American Jewish Organizations.

Drafted: NEA/IAI
3/18/87 8849F

Clearance: NEA RSSuddattn

*(

J4JP Note