Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXXVIII, Part 2, Organization and Management of Foreign Policy; Public Diplomacy, 1973–1976

150. Briefing Memorandum From the Deputy Under Secretary of State for Management (Eagleburger) to Secretary of State Kissinger¹

Washington, December 8, 1975.

Measures to Reduce Staffing of U.S. Diplomatic Missions Abroad

Recently a number of ambassadors have urged privately that steps be taken to reduce personnel, particularly of other agencies, in our Missions overseas. They argue that staffing of some activities remains disproportionate to our interests and needs, despite continual efforts to limit and reduce numbers. This view corresponds to tentative assessments developed independently in the Department.

We doubt that the situation merits another large-scale, across-the-board reduction drive. Rather, we prefer a selective approach, utilizing the MODE system for controlling overseas staffing, approved by the President last year.²

We have therefore asked the ambassadors to Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Guatemala to review staffing of their Missions and to submit any recommendations they may have to eliminate specific positions through FY 77.³ Pending their responses we have not broached this subject outside the Department. However, these pilot efforts could open the way for similar actions involving other Missions.⁴

If the ambassadorial assessments are persuasive, we will press for reductions, initially with the concerned agencies and if necessary in inter-agency adjudication. While we hope to keep most of the bureaucratic battling from requiring your attention, I want you to know about our effort and to enlist your support if that should become necessary.

1. Source: Department of State, Miscellaneous Management and Management Operations Files, 1969–76: Lot 82 D 210, Possible Reduction FY 76. Confidential; Exdis. Drafted by Glynn R. Mays (M/MO/DG) on December 1 and concurred by Earl D. Sohm (M/MO). Sent through Ingersoll. Copies were sent to Sisco, Robinson, and Maw.
2. See Document 140.
3. The Embassy in Manila submitted its recommendations of positions to be eliminated in telegram 471, January 9, 1976. Submissions from the Embassies in Guatemala and Tokyo are in telegram 338, January 19, and telegram 1741, February 5, respectively. (All in National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, 1976) The report from the Embassy in Jakarta has not been found.
4. In a January 9 memorandum to Eagleburger, Sohm reported that the Embassies in Kingston and Caracas had also been asked to “look seriously into possibilities for mission reorganization.” (Department of State, Miscellaneous Management and Management Operations Files, 1969–76: Lot 82 D 210, Possible Reduction FY 76) Under this initiative, known informally as “Operation Clean Slate,” both posts reported on various studies of Embassy operations. The Embassy in Caracas reported its review of the staff and action plan for reorganization in telegram 1277, January 2, and the Embassy in Kingston in telegram 408, January 29. Staff cuts in other posts were discussed in telegram 17375 to Beirut, January 23; in telegram 6838 from Santiago, July 13; in telegram 7471 from Brasilia, August 26; in telegram 228119 to Vientiane, September 15; and in telegram 7560 from Quito, October 21. (All in National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, 1976)