Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume II, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs

198. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs (Derian) to David Martin of the Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs¹

Washington, February 29, 1980

My Meeting With The Secretary: Ratification of the Human Rights Treaties

1. The Secretary said that Frank Church had not asked him to lay off, but rather that he would move Genocide if we could tell him with confidence that we had the ability to obtain unanimous consent of the Senate.²

2. The reason for unanimous consent is his understanding and the Secretary’s that, because of its placement on the calendar, it cannot be moved before SALT without unanimous consent. The Secretary added that eight or nine treaties had already been successfully moved. I don’t know what the chances are, but it would seem to me that a couple of possible objections would be inevitable. However, it is worth looking into.

3. He had no objection to the preliminary steps, i.e., staff work.

4. He didn’t seem to have any objection to all of us going full speed ahead on the lobbying campaign.

I think the thing to do is to just get going and start counting and seeing if there is any possibility for unanimous consent, at the same time pressing for the staff work to be completed and doing some good lobbying.

David, please give Linc Bloomfield a call. Thanks.

1. Source: Department of State, Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, 1979 Human Rights Subject Files, Lot 82D102, Genocide—Action File. Limited Official Use. Copies were sent to Bennet, Palmer, Salmon, Steven Cohen, Flood, and Roberta Cohen. Martin sent Derian a memorandum, dated February 28, in preparation for her meeting with Vance. (Ibid.)
2. There is no indication as to where or when Derian’s meeting with Vance took place; no minutes were found. In the NSC Global Issues Cluster’s March 5 evening report, Bloomfield noted: “At my suggestion, Patt Derian has talked with Vance re Church’s problems. Turns out Frank Church told Cy he would be willing to move the Genocide Convention if the Administration could tell him with confidence that 67 votes were in hand. Cy has no objection to a lobbying campaign on the Convention. (67 votes is no mean feat, but the Administration was able to come up with 60 votes last year when Church made the same stipulation with regard to a cloture motion.)” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Global Issues—Oplinger/Bloomfield Subject File, Box 37, Evening Reports: 1–3/80)