83. Editorial Note
As the Department of State and the Agency for International Development moved to implement NSAM No. 342, Leonard Marks, Director of the U.S. Information Agency, informed Under Secretary Ball on [Page 155] March 7, 1966, that the international common carriers (AT&T, ITT, World Communications, RCA Communications, and Western Union International) had informally expressed their willingness to provide financing for earth stations without recourse to government financing. Marks suggested that the Attorney General be given clearance to suspend anti-trust considerations to allow the companies to cooperate. (Department of State, NSAM Files: Lot 72 D 316)
In an April 27 memorandum to Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Mann, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Solomon opined that government financing still should be considered because of the history of unsuccessful efforts of the carriers and less-developed countries (LDCs) to come to mutually acceptable terms. Since most LDCs chose to work through government or domestic entities, “There is considerable reason to believe that in many countries there will be no rapid earth station construction if the only help available comes from private United States companies.” (Ibid.)
On April 22 Mann suggested that the Department of State and the Agency for International Development establish a working group under Deputy Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Frank Loy to finalize site choices and prepare a report for the President. (Letter from Mann to Marks, April 22; ibid.)