37. Memorandum From the Deputy Director for Policy and Plans, United States Information Agency (Sorensen) to the Assistant Director, Africa (Roberts), the Assistant Director, Europe (Phillips), the Assistant Director, Far East (Neilson), the Assistant Director, Latin America (McKnight), and the Assistant Director, Near East and South Asia (King)1
SUBJECT
- Country and Area Policy Papers Developed by State Department
The guidelines set forth below are designed to assure maximum appropriate participation of USIA in the development of State Department country and area policy papers.
These papers hopefully will be made available at an early stage (informally by State drafter to USIA country desk officer) and will be sent formally to USIA at a later stage (State Assistant Secretary to USIA Area Director) for comment. The final, approved policy paper will be distributed in Washington and to the field.
If you have any questions, please take them up with Fred Bundy.
The guidelines:
1. After the Area desk officer has formulated, but before he has transmitted, his comments on the early draft submitted by the State drafter, he should consult with IOP (Fred Bundy). This is for the purpose of reviewing the draft policy and Area comments in the context of broad Agency policy and interests. IOP clearance of area comments is not required at this stage.
2. After “early stage” informal comments by interested agencies in Washington and the field, and rewriting as necessary, the draft policy will receive substantial clearance within State. Then the appropriate State Asst. Secretary will officially transmit the policy paper to the USIA Area Director for comments, not clearance. The Area Director’s reply should be cleared with IOP (Bundy) in draft.
3. USIA comments should deal with psychological-public attitude-information aspects. However, we should not hesitate to take a broad view of what “psychological” comprises.
4. USIA contributions need not be limited to existing Agency policy; however, modified or new policy should receive appropriate Agency [Page 113] approval prior to its inclusion in comments to State. This applies to comments at both early and later stages. USIA activities which have been rejected by the Agency for budgetary or policy reasons should not be included in your suggestions.
5. The scope of Agency comments will be governed, to some extent, by the type of material which State has decided to include in a given paper. Wherever possible, we should concentrate on significant policy issues and avoid operational detail.
6. We do not believe “psychological” aspects can be compartmentalized any more than “political” can be separated from “economic” or “military”. Some State drafts contain such a breakdown; others do not. Where such a breakdown exists, and in your judgment it is desirable to do so, you may wish to incorporate your contribution into a section entitled “Psychological.”
- Source: National Archives, RG 306, Office of Plans, General Subject Files, 1949–1970, Acc. #65A175, Entry UD WW 288, Area Policy Officers. No classification marking. Drafted by Frederic Bundy.↩