Office of the Historian

107. Memorandum From Jessica Tuchman of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, January 24, 1978

SUBJECT

  • Human Rights Foundation and Other Human Rights Issues

Since our meeting with the Vice President on the Human Rights Foundation2 I have discussed the idea with Bill Korey, John Richardson,3 Leo Cherne, Bob DeVecchi (International Rescue Committee), Theron Van Scotter (American Council of Voluntary Agencies for Foreign Service), Leonard Marks and, as you know, with Huntington, [Page 375] Henze and Jan Nowak.4 All are unreservedly enthusiastic in their support for this idea. While I was working on this final version, I received a copy of Sam’s memo.5 I went ahead with this anyway because it includes some additional new ideas (not all my own), and because it specifically addresses the President and Vice President’s previous reservations about this proposal. This memorandum is designed to provide the President everything he needs to make a final decision—we need to get this idea out of limbo.

Regarding other human rights initiatives, I have consulted with State (at the Vice President’s direction) on who should be included in the Congressional sessions. A shortened version of State’s list has been submitted to Moore, and I have received comments on the Senators but not yet on the House members. I expect final word from them shortly, and will then arrange the first meeting with Clift.

On the PD, I believe that it is in your office—at least I haven’t seen it since I sent over the most recent draft.6

I have commissioned and received from State, a paper on all the issues on which we are going to face problems in Congress in the next session. This paper will form the basis for a meeting of the LIG in the next 2–3 weeks.7

Finally, the four recently signed human rights treaties will be sent to the President for forwarding to the Senate within the next two days.

Recommendation:

That you forward the memorandum at Tab A to the President.8

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Global Issues—Bloomfield Subject File, Box 17, Human Rights: Policy Initiatives: 1/77–10/78. Confidential. Sent for action. Inderfurth initialed the memorandum. An unknown hand wrote “fwd 1/24 1pm” at the top of the page.↩
  2. No record of the meeting with Mondale has been found. For his comments on a Human Rights Foundation, see Document 97.↩
  3. According to the NSC Global Issues Cluster’s January 9 evening report, Tuchman met with Richardson that day: “Also had a long and very useful meeting with John Richardson of Freedom House focusing on the Human Rights Foundation which he thinks is not only a good idea, but terribly badly needed.” Brzezinski wrote in the margin next to the paragraph: “Good. Talk also to SPH [Samuel Huntington].” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Global Issues—Oplinger/Bloomfield Subject File, Box 36, Evening Reports: 1–3/78)↩
  4. The January 13 NSC Global Issues Cluster’s evening report reads, in part: “Tuchman met with Huntington, Nowak et al on the Human Rights Foundation. Using everyone’s inputs, I [Tuchman] am rewriting the proposal so as to make it clear to the VP and the President why the Foundation would not be duplicative of existing groups, and why it should not pose serious problems of embarrassment to the USG. We will then mail it out for polishing to Richardson, Korey, Cherne, et al.” (Ibid.)↩
  5. Presumable reference to a January 13 paper prepared by Huntington entitled “A Human Rights Foundation.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Defense/Security—Huntington, Box 38, Human Rights: 1/78)↩
  6. Brzezinski wrote “RI?” in the right-hand margin next to this paragraph and drew an arrow pointing at it.↩
  7. Not found.↩
  8. Tab A, attached but not printed, is a January 24 memorandum from Brzezinski to the President entitled “Human Rights Foundation.” Brzezinski did not indicate approval or disapproval of the recommendation, but a handwritten notation indicates that he signed the memorandum to the President on January 24. In a January 26 memorandum to Hutcheson, McIntyre indicated that while OMB “supports the underlying objectives” of the Human Rights Foundation, staff members had concluded that the Foundation “may not be the best way” to advance human rights policy. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Global Issues—Bloomfield Subject File, Box 17, Human Rights: Policy Initiatives: 1/77–10/78) Under a January 27 covering memorandum, Hutcheson transmitted McIntyre’s memorandum to Brzezinski, suggesting that the proposal be revised. In the top right-hand corner of this memorandum, Brzezinski wrote: “JT, please react. ZB.” (Ibid.) The revised memorandum to the President is printed as Document 114.↩