201. Memorandum From the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Chairman of the National Security Council Under Secretaries Committee (Richardson)1
SUBJECT
- U.S. Economic Relations with Romania
On July 15, 1969, in preparation for the Presidentʼs trip to Romania, the Under Secretaries Committee reported on steps which the United States could take to improve its economic relations with Romania.2 Some of these steps have now been taken.
In addition, the President has decided that we should seek elimination of the legislative restrictions on OPICʼs issuance of investment guarantees and insurance for projects in Romania. My memorandum of June 2 to the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and the President of the Export-Import Bank conveyed the Presidentʼs decision to seek such treatment for Yugoslavia.3 The legislation to implement that decision should also cover Romania. The Under Secretaries Committee should develop a scenario for presenting the legislative request early in the next session of Congress.
In addition, the President has now requested that the Under Secretaries Committee re-examine the whole question of our economic policies toward Romania, both in regard to the actions mentioned in its earlier memorandum and in regard to other possibilities such as:
- —Public and private statements by U.S. officials to encourage U.S. investment and trade in Romania and to show Administration encouragement for it.
- —Relaxing our position on Romaniaʼs effort to enter GATT.
- —Further liberalization of our export controls toward Romania.
- —Any other appropriate and effective measures.
The Under Secretaries report should examine all those actions which the U.S. Government could take to give Romania treatment equal to that which we give, or plan in the future to give, to Yugoslavia. It should examine the implications of our defining Romania as a “developing country,” expanding on Mr. Eliotʼs memorandum of [Page 497] October 30.4 It should inter alia consider actions that require changes in, or new legislation, and make recommendations on both the substance and the timing of possible actions. The report by the Under Secretaries Committee should treat all possibilities solely in the Romanian context, even though some may be the subject of separate recommendations and work in progress in broader contexts:
The Under Secretaries Committee should submit this report by November 30.5
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files) Boxes H–259 and 260, Under Secretaries Study Memoranda, U/SM 87–89, U/SM 87.↩
- See Document 181.↩
- See Document 219 and footnote 4 thereto.↩
- Document 200.↩
- See Document 202.↩