Chile

Soon after joining the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs in the early 1960s, Lister became focused on U.S. policy towards Chile. Lister saw parallels between Chilean politics and the political situation in Italy, where had had been stationed until 1961. Like Italy, Chile had a strong Socialist party, which Lister believed could be influenced to move away from the Communists. Nonetheless, Lister had little success in convincing U.S. policymakers to reach out to Chilean Socialists. In 1970, Socialist leader Salvador Allende was elected President of Chile, leading to U.S. fears that Allende would move Chile towards Communism.

In a memorandum entitled ''What Is To Be Done?-In Chile'' Lister lamented that the Chilean government was now ''run by people who know little or nothing of us and of whom we are abysmally ignorant.'' He argued that the U.S. should engage the Allende government and try to influence it away from the Soviet orbit. Instead, the U.S. pursued a policy of destabilizing Allende, especially by taking measures aimed at the Chilean economy.

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Selected Documents:

• Speech by Lister, "Notes for November 18 Ministry of Foreign Relations Luncheon Comments", Nov 18, 1992, (2 pages)

• Speech by Lister, "Notes for November 19 U.S. Embassy Supper Comments", Nov 18, 1992 (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Lois Carlisle, Sept 4, 1963 on "Draft Comprehensive Policy Paper for Chile" (5 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to "Mr. Williams," August 5, 1964 on "Allende's Paese Sera Interview" (3 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Jerome Fried, February 12, 1965 on "Preliminary Draft of National Policy Paper for Chile" (5 pages)

• Policy Paper by Lister "'What Is To be Done?'—in Chile," November 1970 (18 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to John Hugh Crimmins, Sept 11, 1970 on "Was the Allende Victory Unique?" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to John Hugh Crimmins, October 16, 1971 on "Frei's Comments to George Donahue" (2 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to John Hugh Crimmins, December 7, 1971 on steps needed to implement "'What Is To be Done?'—in Chile" (4 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Ambassador David Popper, June 14, 1974, on "Our Chile Policy," (3 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to William D. Rogers, January 24, 1975, "Additional Information on Poblete visit" (6 pages)

• Correspondence from Charles Runyon to Lister, Aug 14, 1975, on "Chile, United Nations Inspection" (2 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to William D. Rogers, August 15, 1976 on "USG—Chile Relations" (2 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Elliott Abrams Aug 10, 1983 on "Tom Harkin on our Chile Policy" (2 pages) with attachments of Tom Harkin's July 29, 1983 statement inserted into the Congressional Record (1 page) and correspondence from Lister to Elliott Abrams July 15, 1983 on "USG: Chile" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Elliot Abrams, Aug 16, 1983, on "Gabriel Valdes Smear Campaign" (9 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Elliot Abrams, Sept 21, 1983, on "Chile: Socialists/Communists" (4 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Elliot Abrams, Sept 22, 1983, on " Petra Kelly" (2 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Elliot Abrams, Nov 28, 1983, on "Chilean Democratic Opposition Dialogue" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Elliot Abrams, April 3, 1984, on "Our Chile Policy" (2 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, Jan 3, 1986, on "Chile: Velasco Letter" (5 pages)

• Correspondence from Martin Poblete to Lister, Feb 18, 1986, on "Resolution on the Question of Human Rights in Chile" (4 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Jim Montgomery, March 1, 1986, on "Schifter: Chile Resolution" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Jim Montgomery, March 5, 1986, on "Geneva: Chile Resolution" (4 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Jim Montgomery, March 7, 1986, on "Schifter: Chile Resolution Today" (2 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Jim Montgomery, March 13, 1986, on "Chile: Schifter News Conference" (2 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Jim Montgomery, March 15, 1986, on "Chile Resolution Impact (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Jim Montgomery, April 19, 1986, on "Loans to Chile" (4 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, July 14, 1986, on "Chile: Poblete/Plans" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, Dec 3, 1986, on "Chile Resolution Status" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, Dec 5, 1986, on "Chile Vote: Poblete Chile" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, March 2, 1987, on "Meeting: Local Chileans" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, March 25, 1987, on "Chile Resolution: UN Press Release" (9 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, March 1, 1988, on "Geneva: Chile Resolution" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, March 8, 1988, on "Poblete: Chile Resolution "(1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, March 10, 1988, on "Chile Resolution: U.S. Abstention" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, Oct 6, 1988, on "Chile's Plebiscite (Latest)" (1 page)

• Correspondence from Lister to Richard Schifter, Feb 28, 1990, on "Chile Invitation" (2 pages)

• Correspondence from Lister to Patricia Diaz Dennis, Oct 30, 1992, "Chile Visit Update" (2 pages)

Claudio Grossman on the role of the State Department in Chile
Claudio Grossman Transcript (pdf)

Claudio Grossman on the State Department's engagment of the Chilean opposition
Claudio Grossman Transcript (pdf)

Edmundo Vargas Carreño on Lister's unique role in connecting the Chilean opposition to the State Department
Edmundo Vargas Carreño Transcript (pdf)

Edmundo Vargas Carreño on the history of U.S. foreign policy toward Chile since the 1970s
Edmundo Vargas Carreño Transcript (pdf)

Richard Schifter on the role of the State Department in the 1988 Chilean referendum
Richard Schifter Transcript (pdf)

George Lister Conference Clip

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