PAGE 01 SANTZA POSS DUPE Chile Project 51%'9 242038Z Uy Departtr ertt of State Deny Release 06503 cise kmptl n ACTION ARA-10 INFO E SCCT -01 OCT-01 ISO-00 INR-05 L-01 NSAE-00 SS-15 USIA-06 R 242002K OCT FM AMEMBASSY CZAE-00 NSC-05 SY-04 EUR-08 DODE-00 PA-01 PRS-01 USSS-00 74 H-01 PM-03 RSC-01 NIC-01 ecias ' 066 111191 SP-02 W SANTIAGO TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0810 INFO AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES USCINCSO 6503 SANTIAGO E O 11 52 N A PINS CZ SUBJECT ASSASSZNATION TAGS PFOR REFS A SANTZAGO 1 SANTIAGO FROM BUENOS AR OF GENERAL 5955 B PRATS BUENOS AIRES 7421 PRESS OCT 24 PUBLISHED WIRE SERVZCE REPORT AIRES ON COMMUNIQUE FROM CHILEAN EMBASSY IN BA ENERGETICALLY DENYZNG COMPLZCZTY OF ANY EMBASSY MEMBER IN PRATS' DEATH EMBASSY REPORTEDLY HAD BEEN TOLD BY PRATS THAT HIS L1FE HAD BEEN THREATENED AND ZNFORMED GOA WHICH PUT SPECIAL PROTECTION ON HZM COMMUNZQUE DENOUNCED ANTICHZLEAN CAMPAIGN REPORT SAID ARGENTZNE PRESS HAD PUBLISHED NEWS FROM ABROAD INDICATING PRATS WAS KILLED BY CHILEAN MILITARY ATTACHE IN ARGENTINA ON ORDERS FROM CHILEAN NATIONAL ZNTELLIGENCE AGENCY DZNA 2 CO RADIO MOSCOW BROADCASTS RECEIVED HERE PUSHED THE THEME OF DINA ZNVOLV ON BASZS OF RATZONALE THAT CHILEAN MILITARY LEADERS WERE AFRAZD PRATS WOULD ATTRACT LOYALTY OF CHILEAN ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL DISAFFECTED WZTH PERFORMANCE OF JUNTA PAGE 02 SANTIA 06503 242038K 3 THIS EXPLANATION MAKES NO SENSE TO US NOR DO WE SEE SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN KZLLZNG PRATS OF ANY OTHER CHILEAN Date Printed GROUP WITH CAPABZLITY 01 17 1999 OF DOZNG DOC NUMBER Paya —3 SO 1974SANTIA06503 CHANNEL n a