Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXXVII, Energy Crisis, 1974–1980

33. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in France¹

Washington, January 15, 1975, 0512Z.

9370. Subject: Presidential Letter. For the Ambassador. Please deliver the following letter from President Ford to President Giscard d’Estaing at the earliest opportunity on January 15 and in any event prior to noon Washington time.²

Begin text

Dear Mr. President:

This Wednesday, in my State of the Union Address, I will formally present policies to meet the economic and energy challenges which are of major importance to the United States and to the international community.³ I shall, at that time, make a number of detailed proposals, many of which I outlined in my speech to the American people on Monday night.⁴ I write you in the spirit of collaboration that animates our relations to share my thoughts on these new measures.

Our countries and our key trading partners have recently been struggling with unemployment, inflation, and energy shortages. There are, as we know, no easy answers to any of these problems, singly or in combination, but it is clear that we cannot afford to address one aspect of our difficulties while ignoring the others. Moreover, each country must act to achieve a balance consistent with its priorities and its particular economic circumstances while recognizing it must act in a manner which furthers rather than harms the economic well-being of other countries.

My policies aim to deal directly with the economic slowdown we now face without triggering the major inflationary pressures which might result from an overly expansionary policy. A tax cut, along with measures to stimulate investment, should reinvigorate the U.S. economy and improve confidence. Under present conditions we believe it will not restimulate the inflationary spiral.

We are also taking major steps to reduce our dependence on imported oil. We are determined to reduce oil imports promptly and significantly and to end vulnerability to economic disruption by foreign suppliers by 1985. Immediate actions to cut energy imports and to increase both our domestic supplies and our ability to use our coal, gas, oil and nuclear power are clearly necessary as are strong measures to ensure adequate conservation and a new emergency storage program. [illegible text] make new demands on the American people. [illegible text] time, they provide the basis for a stronger U.S. economy in the future. This, in turn, should have a beneficial impact on the international economy.

In closing, let me emphasize the importance I have attached to having had the benefit of your views on these issues during our meeting in Martinique. We are strongly committed to working with your government and others in confronting our common problems. While much remains to be done, we are encouraged by the positive steps which have been taken recently. For our mutual well-being, it is imperative that we continue developing a common approach in dealing with energy problems and that we continue to coordinate closely in confronting our economic difficulties.

I look forward to staying in close touch with you on these important issues.⁵

Sincerely, Gerald R. Ford

His Excellency Valery Giscard d’Estaing

President of the French Republic

Paris

End text.

Kissinger

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, P840083–0869. Secret; Niact; Immediate; Nodis; Cherokee. Drafted in the White House.
2. In telegram 1131 from Paris, January 15, the Embassy reported that, since Giscard was at a Council of Ministers meeting all morning, Ford’s letter was delivered to the Deputy Secretary General. (Ibid., P850038–2604)
3. The text of the address, which the President delivered on January 15, is in Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Gerald R. Ford, 1975, pp. 36–46. The President followed up the speech by sending “an omnibus energy bill,” the 13-part Energy Independence Act of 1975, to Congress on January 30. See ibid., pp. 136–138.
4. On January 13, President Ford addressed the nation on his programs to address the nation’s economic problems and the energy crisis. See ibid., pp. 30–35.
5. Ford sent the same letter to Schmidt and Wilson. (Telegram 9369 to Bonn, January 15; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, P850014–1483 and telegram 9371 to London, January 15; ibid., P840083–0885)