167. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to Secretary of Energy Schlesinger1

SUBJECT

  • U.S.-Mexican Energy Relations

With the passage of the President’s energy legislation,2 we will need to develop some options for the President on strategies for negotiating with Mexico on supplies of oil and natural gas. We will not only want to be clear on our objectives, but also on our tactics both with regard to U.S. companies and regulatory agencies and Mexico.

As you know, the President places high priority on good relations with Mexico, and he has directed a Presidential Review Memorandum (PRM–41)3 to look comprehensively at all of the issues in our relationship with the purpose of suggesting a coherent strategy for dealing with them. Since U.S.-Mexican energy relations are such an important element in our overall relations with Mexico, and since energy is interconnected with other important issues in our relationship, a strategy on energy should be developed in the context of PRM–41 rather than separately. This is the purpose of the PRM exercise.

Therefore, the President would like you to present your views on an appropriate energy strategy in PRM–41, and delay taking any steps towards opening negotiations with the Mexicans until he has had an opportunity to review PRM–41 and decide an energy strategy for U.S.-Mexican relations.

Zbigniew Brzezinski
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, P780176–1194. Confidential. Copies were sent to Vance and McIntyre.
  2. See Document 164.
  3. PRM 41, “Review of U.S. Policies Toward Mexico,” August 14. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South File, Box 32, Pastor Country Files, Mexico: PRM 41 (Policy), 10/77–11/78)