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

271. Memorandum From the Special Representative for Economic Summits (Owen) to President Carter¹

Washington, March 10, 1980

SUBJECT

• Leadership in the War on Hunger

1. Sol Linowitz advised (Tab B)² that the Hunger Commission’s final report will be ready in late March. I suggest that you reply (Tab A)³ stating your desire to receive the report at an East Room meeting designed to energize international efforts to free the poorest nations from the threat of mass hunger. Congressional, civic, and religious leaders would attend the meeting, where you would demonstrate to several important constituencies that your interest in relieving human suffering has not been submerged by current budgetary and security crises.

2. You could, at this convocation:

—sign the new international Food Aid Convention, putting a floor under food aid programs (at no additional cost to the US budget); the Convention should be completed at final negotiations in London next week;

—ask the Congress to speed enactment of your Food Security Reserve and PL–480 bills, (at no increase in our budgetary outlays);

—call on other countries to parallel this US contribution toward creating nationally held grain resources dedicated to meeting food needs of the low income countries in emergencies;

—endorse, in general terms, the food policy recommendations of the Hunger Commission report—that is, champion a strategy of concentrating international development aid on measures to free poor people of the lowest income nations from the scourge of malnutrition (we will refine this strategy while assuring that it can be achieved within reduced FY 1981 US budgets for development aid);

—cite the steps we are already taking or supporting to increase food production in developing nations, i.e., our contributions to the multilateral agricultural research centers and to development bank lending for agriculture; innovative AID food and nutrition programs; launching ISTC with priority on agricultural research; and reservation of some PL–480 food for emergency stocks in vulnerable poor countries; and

—ask the assembled Hunger Commission members, religious and civil leaders and members of Congress to support this campaign; and appeal to the voluntary agencies for increased efforts in the poorest countries.

3. Such a meeting would lay a basis for our seeking international action along these lines at the Venice Economic Summit, if you wished to do so.

4. If you approve of the meeting described in paragraph 1, I will propose a list of attendees and alternative dates about the end of March.

5. OMB, State, Agriculture, and IDCA concur in the above.

Recommendations:

1. That you sign the letter to Sol Linowitz at Tab A.⁴

2. That you authorize preparation for the meeting, including submission to you of alternative dates and a proposed list of attendees.⁵

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 93, Food: 1979–1980. No classification marking. Sent for action. A notation on the memorandum reads: “3/11 To rick h 1715.” A draft of the memorandum, March 4, is in the Carter Library, White House Central Files, Box FG–224, Subject Files—Executive, FG–311, 11/1/79–1/20/80. A March 10 note from Owen to Denend indicates that Owen’s memorandum should be sent through Wise to Carter. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 93, Food: 1979–1980)
2. Not attached. A copy of Linowitz’ February 20 letter to the President is in the Carter Library, White House Central Files, Subjects Files, Box HE–7, Executive, HE–3, 12/1/78–1/20/81. Linowitz indicated that the PCWH report would be completed by mid-March, commenting, “While I regret the delay in presenting a final document, I am convinced that the additional time will be most important in assuring a report that is as useful as the subject deserves and respects.”
3. Attached but not printed is the undated reply from the President to Linowitz.
4. There is no indication that the President approved or disapproved the recommendation. Brzezinski wrote in the right-hand margin: “Concur ZB.”
5. There is no indication that the President approved or disapproved the recommendation. Brzezinski wrote in the right-hand margin: “Your schedule is v. tight. ZB.”