451. Telegram 1375 From the Embassy in Jamaica to the Department of State1
1375. Subject: Ambassador’s Meeting with PM Manley. Ref: Kingston 1181.
1. I met with Prime Minister Manley at his request (reftel) late afternoon April 9. Others present were Robert Mason, Perm Sec PM’s office and Gordon Wells, Perm Sec External Affairs. After general discussion bauxite agreement concluded between GOJ and Reynolds (septel) PM raised following subjects in chronological order.
2. Manley Visit to Washington—PM stated that he interpreted our failure to respond favorably as a “deliberate slap in the face” and said that if this were the case it had brought Jamaican-U.S. relations to an [Page 1151] all-time low. He realized that Jamaica was a comparatively unimportant country but felt it did have something to contribute and wished to do so. He considered the linkage between his visit and progress in the bauxite negotiations to be a deliberate affront. I replied that this was in no way intended but that the original January time frame suggested by him for the visit had posed real problems in terms of the President’s and the Secretary’s schedules at that time. Recalling the Prime Minister’s meeting with the Secretary last year, I reminded him that he had personally requested that the USG not become involved in the bauxite negotiations, (which he agreed was the case) and that a meeting within the time frame originally requested would inevitably have had to raise the unresolved bauxite issue. Furthermore, meetings with the President and the Secretary before the bauxite issue had been resolved would have subjected them to strong and conflicting pressures in the U.S. and possibly even embarrassment. I concluded the subject stating that the possibility of a visit might well be reconsidered. He replied that the visit was immaterial (though I gathered he would still like to make one) compared to the major question of our basic relationship, and that was why he had raised the question.
2. [sic] Anti-government Activities of U.S. Missionaries—The PM stated that certain fundamentalist U.S. missionaries on the island were actively defaming the GOJ and himself as Communist. He stated that he was deeply troubled by the missionaries’ activities but made a point of emphasizing that he did not believe that they were in any way tied to the CIA. I replied that I was disturbed to hear this and if the GOJ furnished proof of these activities, I would try and do something about it. PM said he would appreciate my assistance and would be providing sworn affadavits.
3. Bauxite/Aluminum Stockpile—The PM rhetorically asked why a new bauxite/aluminum stockpile arrangement could not be worked out. He felt that the stockpile in the past had provided a valuable balancing mechanism which smoothed out price fluctuations. He referred to a recent report by the U.S. Comptroller General on the subject and requested Mr. Mason to supply me a copy for study.
4. LOS—The PM inquired whether the USG could be more supportive, if only “ever so slightly,” of the GOJ’s bid to have the Seabed Authority sited in Kingston. I replied that as the Embassy had informed the GOJ, we supported the GOJ application but wanted to see greater progress achieved toward the substantive conclusion of the treaty before publicly declaring our support. When I asked whether there were any other serious contenders and what he thought Jamaica’s chances were, he replied that Malta was the only other rival and chances of the Seabed Authority being located in Kingston were good.
[Page 1152]5. P.L.–480 Title I—PM said he was pleased that an FY–75 agreement had been approved and asked about the prospects for an FY–76 agreement. I said I shared his satisfaction and was particularly pleased that despite the severe shortages this year, we were able to gain approval of the program on humanitarian grounds. As for an FY–76 agreement, I suggested that application only be made after the FY–75 program was finalized. Mr. Mason confirmed that this was the way GOJ wished to proceed.
6. Problems Involved in Major Capital Projects—The PM said that he foresaw major problems developing in CY–76 in connection with several large capital projects which he anticipates would be getting underway. He specifically mentioned the new alumina complex which would involve the GOJ, Mexico, Venezuela, Kaiser, and Reynolds. Additionally, negotiations on the Luana refinery were progressing rapidly, and it was one of the basic topics he would be discussing in Caracas with President Perez. I asked if he had recent information about reports that Howell Refining Co. of Texas was looking into the possible construction of a refinery in Jamaica, but he evaded the question, commenting that he understood that they had been on the island recently, but he had no details concerning their discussions.
7. The construction boom in Jamaica in CY–75 when these projects were started would underline the shortage of skilled local workers, especially in the building trades. The skilled labor which exists has already been drawn into the Kingston area, and there is now a dearth in the countryside. He wanted to know whether there was any possibility that the USG would be willing to help devise and support a skill training program. His brother Douglas (Minister of State for Youth and Community Affairs) has been impressed by techniques and training aids developed in the U.S., especially mobile training units (Douglas Manley and several other GOJ officials visited Reverend Sullivan’s Opportunities Industrialization Center International Project in Philadelphia in late 1972). I replied that as the Prime Minister knew, AID funds were extremely tight. The PM had seen what happened to the President’s aid bill, and I wondered whether the education-sector loan might provide the training opportunities he envisaged. The PM said no, that he was specifically thinking of the mobile training approach mentioned by his brother. I concluded the subject by saying that I obviously could not make any commitments but we would be willing to discuss it in greater detail with his brother.
8. In discussing the impending construction activity, the PM waxed ecstatic about the growing regional cooperation in the Caribbean. He felt that the cooperation of Mexico, Venezuela and Jamaica, along with the great multi-national corporations like Kaiser and/or Reynolds or Alcan in the construction of the alumina plant in Jamaica [Page 1153] and the aluminum smelter in Mexico was an example of the collaboration he felt to be the wave of the future. He commented that while it had not been determined which of the companies would participate in the Mexico smelter, he thought that Kaiser would do the engineering and possibly be joined by Reynolds and/or Alcan.
9. Commonwealth Meeting—Manley having gone through the list of topics he apparently wished to raise, I asked what he foresaw coming out of the Commonwealth meeting later this month. Manley said that economic issues should dominate the meeting but might get sidetracked depending on how much time was devoted to discussion of the urgent southern African issues. He and his government were committed on the southern African issues and would give them precidence, yet hoped there would be ample time left for consideration of economic issues. It was his view that the Third World had no choice but to develop a close political affiliation and identity of view which would give them the strength to deal on a basis of equality with the developed world on economic matters. The individual leaders of the developed world would not give anything substantive away on their own. This restraint was inherent in their political systems. The only way the LDCs could really obtain satisfactory realignment on economic matters was by dealing on a bloc-to-bloc basis with the developed world. He was encouraged by the results of the ACP/EEC negotiations and believed it underlined his point.
10. I responded that there were two points I wanted to make with regard to the evolution of bloc politics.
A. That the USG noted with serious concern that on matters that were not of great importance to the GOJ it had voted in UN forums against the U.S. position even after strong representation on our part. At this point Wells interjected that the GOJ was not a party to steamroller tactics and bloc voting, to which the PM added that the GOJ’s votes were determined by principle. They both then admitted that it was important for Jamaica to preserve its credentials with its Third World allies if Jamaica was to retain their support on economic issues which Jamaica considered of great importance. I commented that we could accept votes based on principle and hoped that true principle would guide the positions the GOJ took in international forums in the future.
B. My second point was that I thought that the imbalance in the world economic situation had led the DCs to look hard at the problems of the LDCs and that there was a real desire on the part of my government and other DCs to examine in detail the full range of economic issues which jointly confronted us. I felt that the complexities of the subject dictated that we approach our problems in a serious, on-polemical, and methodical fashion. This kind of approach would pro[Page 1154]duce the greatest results, and I sincerely hoped that it would be the path Jamaica would follow rather than confrontation.
11. Jamaican Ambassador to U.S.—Responding to my inquiry, the Prime Minister said that the selection of a new Ambassador to the United States was the subject of great interest and concern to his government. He was acutely aware of the importance of this position and although it might take the GOJ a while to settle on the right man, they were actively searching and any delay involved should not be construed as the creation of a deliberate vacancy.
Comment: This meeting at the request of the PM was the final one in a series of meetings with ministers I had instigated in an effort to restore some sort of meaningful dialogue with the GOJ which was largely in suspension “pending substantial progress in the bauxite negotiations.” While the tone of the meeting was friendly and relaxed (the Prime Minister has never with me gone off on one of his well-advertised tirades) the rather strange content mix gives pause as well as the approach on several of the discussion subjects. It appears to me that the PM has not yet determined on the policy he now plans to follow with the U.S. On the one hand, he seems to indicate that he is ready to get tough if that is the way we want to play it. On the other hand, he appears to want to be conciliatory and cooperative if we will let him. It is possible with any such multifaceted and erratic character, given the pressures of his domestic and foreign politics, that he will be more at home in the long run with a dichotomy. I believe we can expect a see-saw relationship without much control on our part of the angle of the plank at any particular moment. However, unless we are to give a permanent tilt to our end on the downside, I think we should review immediately our loosely-defined policy of “substantial progress in the bauxite negotiations” as a sine qua nun on substantive matters especially now that an agreement has been reached with Reynolds. It is now clear this policy serves no useful purpose, indeed if it ever did. On balance, it seems likely we will be dealing with Manley and his party for the next seven years, and I think we must move now or lose our options with him if we have not done so already.
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Summary: Gerard reported that an April 9 meeting with Manley had been “friendly and relaxed” but that the Jamaican Prime Minister had raised several difficult subjects, leading the Ambassador to conclude that Manley had “not yet determined on the policy he now plans to follow with the U.S.”
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser Papers, Presidential Country Files for Latin America, 1974–1977, Box 4, Jamaica—State Department Telegrams, To Secstate—Exdis. Confidential; Immediate; Exdis. In telegram 1181 from Kingston, March 26, the Embassy reported that a meeting between Gerard and Manley was scheduled for April 9. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750107–0155) In telegram 1369 from Kingston, April 11, the Embassy reported on the agreement between Reynolds Aluminum and the Jamaican Government that was discussed by Gerard and Manley in their meeting. (Ibid., D750128–0579) In telegram 1360 from Kingston, April 10, Gerard reported that Manley had also alleged in his April 9 meeting with Gerard that the CIA was carrying out inappropriate activities in Jamaica. Gerard denied the charge. (Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, Kingston 1963–1969, Roger Channel)
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