Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1974–1980
31. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Department of State, Shulman Files: Lot 81D109, Vance to Moscow, March 28–30, 1977. Secret; Nodis. The meeting took place in the Kremlin. Drafted by Krimer; reviewed in draft by Hyland; approved by Twaddell on April 12. Printed in full in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. VI, Soviet Union, Document 17. For subsequent memoranda of conversation, see ibid., Documents 18–23. Vance departed Washington on March 25 and attended an NAC meeting in Brussels before arriving in Moscow. Following his meetings with Brezhnev, Vance met with West German, British, and French officials in Bonn, London, and Paris before arriving in Washington on April 2. For the text of Vance’s news conferences while in Moscow, en route to London and Paris, and upon arrival in Washington; the joint U.S.–Soviet communiqué issued on March 30; Carter’s March 30 press conference; and Brzezinski’s April 1 news conference, see Department of State Bulletin, April 25, 1977, pp. 389–421.
32. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 125, Weekly National Security Report: 2–4/77. Top Secret; Sensitive; Codeword. The President wrote “Good report. J” in the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.
33. Address by President Carter Before the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States
Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1977, Book I, pp. 611–616. All brackets are in the original. The President spoke at 12:26 p.m. at the Pan American Union. The Department forwarded Carter’s remarks to all American Republic diplomatic posts in telegram 85145, April 15. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770132–0029)
34. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 125, Weekly National Security Report: 2–4/77. Top Secret; Sensitive; Contains Codeword. Carter and Mondale both initialed the memorandum.
36. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 63, Goals: Four Year: 4–7/77. Secret. Brzezinski sent the memorandum and the attached “Four-Year Foreign Policy Objectives” paper to the President under an April 29 covering memorandum, suggesting that Carter review the “objectives” paper prior to the upcoming London summit meeting. Although there is no indication that Carter saw the memorandum, in his diary entry for April 29, the President wrote: “The National Security Council staff has prepared for me what we call our international goals. This is a good framework around which to build our day-to-day decisions. I think a growing consciousness of these tangible goals will be good to bind us all together in a common effort.” (White House Diary, p. 45) For additional information about the preparation of the “objectives” paper, see footnote 4, Document 19. Earlier versions of the April 29 memorandum are in the Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 27, Goals/Initiatives: 4–5/77. Mondale’s May 12 response to the memorandum is printed in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. II, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Document 43.
37. Address by Secretary of State Vance
Source: Department of State Bulletin, May 23, 1977, pp. 505–508. Under an April 26 cover memorandum, Brzezinski sent Vance a handwritten note, dated April 26, from the President. In it, Carter wrote: “The Law Day speech is very good. I’ll do a much broader speech at Notre Dame. Good luck in Georgia. They’ll like you & the speech. J.C.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Agency File, Box 17, State: 4/77) Vance delivered the address as part of the Law Day ceremonies at the University of Georgia School of Law. The Department transmitted the text of the address in telegram 98034 to all diplomatic posts, April 30; the telegram is printed in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. II, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Document 39. In his memoirs, Vance explained the purpose of his address: “I wanted to make clear the shape and substance of our human rights policy, and the fact that it was universal in application, yet flexible enough to be adapted to individual situations.” (Hard Choices, p. 46)
39. Memorandum of Conversation
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 47, Chron: 5/77. Confidential. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Quandt forwarded the memorandum to Brzezinski under a May 18 memorandum, recommending that Brzezinski send a copy of the memorandum to the Department of State. Brzezinski indicated his disapproval of the recommendation. Notations indicate that a copy of the May 16 memorandum was forwarded to the President for information on May 19 at 5 p.m. Also printed in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. VIII, Arab-Israeli Dispute, January 1977–August 1978, Document 34.
40. Address by President Carter
Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1977, Book I, pp. 954–962. The President spoke at 3:25 p.m. at the commencement exercises at the University of Notre Dame Athletic and Convocation Center. Father Hesburgh conferred an honorary doctor of laws degree on the President and then offered opening remarks. On March 18, Hesburgh had sent Carter a memorandum congratulating him on the United Nations address (see Document 29) and noting that the Overseas Development Council, which Hesburgh chaired, planned to release The United States and World Development: Agenda 1977, the fifth in the ODC’s annual assessments of the relationship between the United States and the developing world. Hesburgh commented that the report might prove useful in Carter’s elucidation of the “basic human needs” strategy as referenced in the United Nations address. Carter sent Hesburgh’s memorandum to Eizenstat and Fallows under a March 28 handwritten note: “Begin working on a Notre Dame speech outline for May—use ‘Human Rights’ in its broadest sense. This ODC report is good basis for ideas. J.C.” (Carter Library, Hertzberg Donated Historical Material, Speech Files, Box 1, Notre Dame Speech 5–22–77) Additional materials regarding the speech preparation are ibid. According to the minutes of the May 23 Cabinet meeting, Brzezinski “commended the White House speech writers and Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher for their work preparing the President’s Notre Dame speech. He said that the speech reflects an ongoing effort to reassert the moral and political leadership of the United States—perhaps for the first time in fifteen years.” (Carter Library, Plains File, Subject File, Box 18, Cabinet Minutes, 1–5/77)
41. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to Secretary of State Vance
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 122, Vance, Miscellaneous Communications with: 5/77. No classification marking. Printed from an unsigned copy. There is no indication that Vance saw the memorandum.
42. Paper Prepared by the President’s Assistant (Jordan)
Source: Carter Library, Office of the Chief of Staff, Jordan’s Confidential Files, Container 34, Foreign Policy—Domestic Politics Memo—Hamilton Jordan Memo, 6/77. Confidential; Eyes Only. Jordan sent the paper to the President under an undated cover memorandum in which he explained that he attempted “to measure the domestic political implications of your foreign policy and outline a comprehensive approach for winning public and Congressional support for specific foreign policy initiatives.”
44. Address by Vice President Mondale
Source: Department of State Bulletin, July 11, 1977, pp. 41–47. All brackets are in the original. Mondale spoke before the World Affairs Council of Northern California. Additional information about the address is in the Minnesota Historical Society, Mondale Papers, Vice Presidential Papers, Special Assistant for Speech Writing, Speech Text Files, World Affairs Council of Northern California, June 17, 1977.
46. Memorandum Prepared in the Department of State
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 48, Chron: 6/77. Secret. Carter wrote “Cy. J” in the top right-hand corner of the first page of the memorandum. No drafting information appears on the memorandum; however, Brzezinski sent it to the President under a June 29 cover memorandum, noting: “Secretary Vance has submitted a memorandum identifying a number of measures which you may want to consider as part of an effort to ‘stabilize’ U.S./Soviet relations.” Brzezinski commented on several of the specific proposals outlined in the memorandum and concluded: “U.S.-Soviet relations are the product of deep and long-term historical forces and we should not become too preoccupied with transitory aspects, some of them deliberately generated by the Soviets in order to exercise psychological and political pressure on us.”
47. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Tarnoff) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 63, Goals: Four Year: 4–7/77. Confidential. Lake sent an earlier version of the memorandum to Vance under a June 27 action memorandum. In it, he noted: “The President apparently asked some time ago, in a marginal note, for a memo from you on our four year policy goals. The White House asked for it again last week. Neither the White House Staff nor S/S have a record or copy of his request; we are not, therefore, sure of exactly what he wanted.” Lake then explained that S/P attempted to “describe such goals in an overall framework” to avoid a “flat listing” that would turn complicated issues into a “simple scorecard.” (National Archives, RG 59, Policy and Planning Staff—Office of the Director, Records of Anthony Lake, 1977–1981: Lot 82D298, Box 1, Misc: re Issues & Priorities ’77) Notations on Lake’s action memorandum indicate that the Department reworked the four-year policy goal memorandum as a memorandum from Tarnoff to Brzezinski and sent it to the White House on June 28. (Ibid.) Although Brzezinski did not initial this copy of the memorandum, he did transmit another copy of the memorandum to the President under a July 5 cover memorandum, commenting: “As you can see, it does not advance our thinking on this subject much beyond the more comprehensive NSC paper which was prepared on this subject.” Carter wrote on the memorandum: “Let Cy assess your more comprehensive goals. J.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 63, Goals: Four Year: 4–7/77) The previous paper is Document 36.
49. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, 1977–1981, Box 63, PRC 023, 7/9/77, Schmidt Visit. Confidential. Printed from an uninitialed copy. Scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. XXVII, Western Europe.
50. Address by Secretary of State Vance
Source: Department of State Bulletin, August 8, 1977, pp. 165–170. All brackets are in the original. Vance delivered his address before the annual convention of the NAACP. The Department transmitted the text of Vance’s speech to all African diplomatic posts in telegram 153476, July 1. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770234–1039) For the text of the question-and-answer session following Vance’s address, see Department of State Bulletin, August 8, 1977, pp. 170–174.
51. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 125, Weekly National Security Report: 7–9/77. Top Secret; Sensitive. The President wrote “Zbig. J” in the top right-hand corner of the first page of the memorandum.
52. Remarks by President Carter
Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1977, Book II, pp. 1309–1315. The President spoke at 3:08 p.m. in the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium before members of the Southern Legislative Conference attending their annual meeting.
53. Remarks by Secretary of Defense Brown
Source: Department of State Bulletin, September 5, 1977, pp. 297–301. All brackets are in the original. Brown spoke before the World Affairs Council of Northern California. For the text of the question-and-answer session following Brown’s remarks, see ibid., pp. 301–304.
54. Memorandum From the Special Representative for Economic Summits (Owen) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 26, Foreign Policy: 5/77–11/29/77. Confidential. Sent for information. The President wrote “Good. J” in the top right-hand corner of the first page of the memorandum. In his July 29 weekly report, Brzezinski offered his assessment of the first 6 months of the administration in the “form of a report card, self inflicted.” Carter added the following notation at the end of that report: “You’re too generous—We must a) have clear goals & b) be tenacious.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 125, Weekly National Security Report: 7–9/77)
55. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Outside the System File, Box 48, Chron: 9/15–21/77. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for information. Brzezinski sent the memorandum to the President under a covering memorandum in which he made two suggestions for the conduct of the upcoming meeting with Gromyko. He suggested that Carter begin the meeting with a plenary session in which he could “expound systematically your approach to US–Soviet relations and your view in general of US foreign policy.” Secondly, Brzezinski offered that the President, at the conclusion of the meeting, “invite Gromyko to your office for a personal conversation with you alone. The meeting will thus end on a cordial note (which is more important than the illusion of cordiality before serious discussions) and you can then convey a final and personal message to Brezhnev.” Attached but not printed are a Comprehensive Test Ban background paper, a Comprehensive Test Ban issues paper, and two papers on the Indian Ocean and the Middle East.
56. Address by President Carter Before the United Nations General Assembly
Source: Public Papers: Carter, 1977, Book II, pp. 1715–1723. The President spoke at 10:20 a.m. in General Assembly Hall at the Headquarters of the United Nations. Prior to the address, the President met with Waldheim and General Assembly President Lazar Mojsov. Additional documentation concerning Department of State and White House efforts in preparing the President’s address is in the National Archives, RG 59, Policy and Planning Staff—Office of the Director, Records of Anthony Lake, 1977–1981: Lot 82D298, Box 2, TL 7/16–31/77; Carter Library, Office of the Staff Secretary, Handwriting File, Presidential File, Box 52, 9/28/77 [1]; and Carter Library, Hertzberg Donated Historical Material, Speech Files, Box 1, UN Speech September 1977. The President believed that the speech was well-received, commenting in his diary: “There’s a different attitude among the nations of the world toward us, brought about by our own new policies and by the influence of Andrew Young.” (White House Diary, p. 112)
57. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 126, Weekly National Security Report: 10–12/77. Top Secret; Sensitive; Codeword. Both the President and Mondale initialed the memorandum. In an attached note to Brzezinski, Inderfurth wrote: “For your file. DA [David Aaron] has pursued the action item. Rick.”
58. Address by the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lake)
Source: Department of State Bulletin, January 1978, pp. 24–27. Lake delivered his address before members of the African Studies Association (ASA) and Latin American Studies Association (LASA) at their joint meeting.
59. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)
Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 16, Economic Assistance Strategy: 10/77–5/78. Confidential.