324. Note From the Special Representative for Economic Summits (Owen) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1
When I mentioned to my colleagues at the recent Summit Review Group meeting in Bonn2 the idea of Manley sending a special emissary to report the results of the meeting to the President, they were horrified at the notion of thus dignifying a conference that most of them considered insignificant, at best. I asked: In that case, why is Schmidt going? Answer: He wanted a Caribbean vacation (before Guadeloupe was fixed).
Cooper gave me a report on his impressions of Manley that reinforce my urge not to build him up as a figure in North-South dialogue, even by inviting him to write a report (which we would then have to answer). I suppose we could do worse than Manley, but we could also do a lot better, and I’d rather gamble on the latter.
In short, I’d leave the matter alone. The President will hear reports from Schmidt and Frazier.3 That’s enough.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 119, Summit: 8–12/78. Confidential. Brzezinski wrote at the top of the page: “agree. ZB.”↩
- See Document 188.↩
- Reference is to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, who visited Washington January 1–3, 1979. During his January 2 meeting with Carter, Fraser “described the Jamaica Summit from which he had just come, emphasizing the view of the conference that inflation is stagnating the world economy, including the LDCs. He urged establishment of a Common Fund and compromise to achieve this goal.” (Telegram 3865 to Canberra, January 6, 1979; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790008–0549)↩
- Owen initialed “HO” above this typed signature.↩