123. Editorial Note
The Development Assistance Committee held its Fifth Annual High-Level Meeting in Washington July 20–21, 1966. In a May 28 letter of invitation to Secretary-General Kristensen, Secretary Rusk emphasized, among other things, that the purpose of the invitation was to express the U.S. Government’s recognition of the importance of the work of the Development Assistance Committee, “and, in particular, to highlight the recent work of the Committee in developing greater understanding of the world food problem and of the need for increased efforts by donor and recipient nations alike to deal with it.” (Department of State, Central Files, OECD 3) Kristensen accepted for the Development Assistance Committee in a June 21 letter to Rusk. (Ibid.) Secretary Rusk agreed to [Page 374] head the U.S. Delegation and asked David Bell and Orville Freeman to agree to serve as Co-Vice Chairmen. (Letter from Secretary Rusk to Secretary Freeman, June 21; ibid.) For text of the Department of State announcement of the meeting, see Department of State Bulletin, July 11, 1966, page 55.
For the NSC discussion about the upcoming DAC meeting, see Document 122.
For the June 13 draft DAC recommendation on the world food problem prepared for the High-Level meeting, see Document 121.
For text of Secretary Rusk’s July 20 statement to the meeting, see Department of State Bulletin, August 8, 1966, pages 199–202. Vice President Humphrey’s luncheon statement, July 20, is ibid., pages 202–205; and Secretary Freeman’s statement, July 21, is ibid., pages 205–209. President Johnson’s message, which Secretary Rusk read at the conclusion of the meeting, is ibid., pages 209–210. Text of the communique, July 21, is ibid., pages 210–212.
For a summary of the meeting, see Document 124.
Documentation on the meeting is in Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 67 D 305, CF 68–69. A summary and evaluation of the meeting is in Current Economic Developments, Issue No. 759, August 2, 1966, pages 1–4. (Washington National Records Center, RG 59, E/CBA/REP Files: FRC 72 A 6248, Current Economic Developments)