365. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Goldstein) to the Under Secretary of State (Katzenbach)1
Your Memcon 4999 of March 20, 1968 has been passed on to me since stockpile is among my areas of concern.2
At page 2 of the Memcon there appears the following:
“Mr. Katzenbach observed that we very well might have objected to the industry plan tied to import quotas had we been given the opportunity, but the fact is that we hadn’t.”
May I suggest that the statement is not accurate and does place GSA in a strange position.
The import quota aspect of the lead and zinc stockpile disposal deal was discussed on November 20 at a meeting in my office attended by Assistant Secretary Solomon.3
In a memorandum to the President on November 21, 1967,2 I reflected the Department of State’s view as follows:
The Department of State is concerned with the retaliation which would inevitably come, such as under the provisions of GATT. Of greater importance is the adverse effect the reimposition of quotas would have on your own relationship with the heads of state of Australia and Mexico, our major suppliers, not to mention Canada. In addition, such quotas [Page 858] would be directly contradictory to the position you took and the commitments you made at Punta del Este.
It would be appreciated if a correction were made to all those on your original distribution list. It would be desirable to advise Mr. Judelson as well.
It would facilitate matters if you were to advise me of any further activities of the Department affecting the stockpile.