204. Memorandum From Lincoln Bloomfield of the National Security Council Staff to Roger Molander of the National Security Council Staff1

SUBJECT

  • Genocide Convention

The President’s firm determination that the Senate ratify the 35 year old Genocide Convention has not yet been translated into action. For various reasons it was not possible to get a renewed push by the President during the past year. Madeleine has all the facts, and Steve Simmons of DPS has been particularly interested in seeing what more we could do. I personally think it is high time we delivered on ratification of a convention drafted at the initiative of the United States which has been in effect for over 30 years, and on which we are one of the few non-ratifiers. Since the President very strongly felt that it should be, maybe something can be done at some point. The most recent (draft) file is attached.2

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Global Issues—Bloomfield Subject File, Box 16, Human Rights: Conventions: 8/79–7/80. No classification marking. A copy was sent to Albright.
  2. Attached but not printed at Tab A is an undated memorandum from Bloomfield to Brzezinski, sent through Albright, requesting that Brzezinski transmit an undated memorandum from Brzezinski to Carter, attached at Tab B, recommending that Carter “reaffirm” his “strong interest in seeing the Genocide Convention ratified by the Senate during the current session of the Congress.” There is no indication as to whether or not Molander forwarded either memorandum to Brzezinski.