Office of the Historian

148. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission in Geneva and the Mission to the United Nations1

Washington, June 23, 1978, 1953Z

160486. For Ambassador Vanden Heuvel from Maynes. Subject: Human Rights—Proposed Strategy Session. Ref: Geneva 08839.2

1. I appreciate your taking the initiative to follow up on the consensus of the IO Chiefs of Mission meeting that we needed to do more to ensure that our multilateral efforts in the human rights field adequately reinforce our bilateral policy efforts. In this light, the Department therefore welcomes your proposal that we make an intensive effort to further integrate our bilateral and multilateral human rights efforts.

2. At the same time, I believe that it will be very difficult to hold the meeting you suggest in Geneva. Throughout the summer, IO has a very carefully balanced series of trips planned as part of our pre-General Assembly consultation effort with other member governments. It would [Page 486] be extremely difficult to peel off senior officers in IO and HA during the period in question to attend a human rights strategy session lasting several days in Geneva.

3. I would suggest, therefore, that the best way to address the legitimate problem you raised would be for us in State to prepare a strategy paper examining the human rights initiatives we might undertake in the UNGA, the forthcoming UNHRC and how those relate to our bilateral human rights actions. This paper could be sent to you in Geneva for comment and you could take advantage of the presence of Ambassadors Young and Wells to formulate comments which, in turn, could be incorporated before we produce a final document.3 In the meantime, we would welcome your thoughts on some of the issues that you identify in reftel. In particular, we would welcome your comments on the possibilities and limitations of the Human Rights Commission and UN Human Rights Division.

Vance
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Office of the Deputy Secretary: Records of Warren Christopher, 1977–1980, Lot 81D113, Box 8, Memoranda to Bureaus—1978. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Maynes; cleared by Derian and Lamb; approved by Maynes. Christopher sent a copy of the telegram to Maynes under a June 25 handwritten note, commenting: “Bill—This is a very good way to handle this. Thanks. Chris.” (Ibid.)↩
  2. See Document 146.↩
  3. See Document 155.↩