105. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter1
Washington, June 21, 1978
SUBJECT
- Rhesus Monkeys
You were asked to discuss monkeys with Desai;2 State needs to know the outcome of the discussion so that the American scientific community can be informed.
Did you raise the issue with Desai?3
Yes No
If you did raise it, did Desai:
Refuse any further shipments?4
Agree to continued shipments?
Agree, but with conditions; if so, what conditions?
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Thornton Country File, Box 93, India: Desai (Prime Minister) Visit to US: 6–9/78. Confidential. Sent for action.↩
- In a June 7 memorandum to Carter, Vance listed as one of the U.S. objectives during the Desai visit (see Documents 103 and 104) the end of India’s global ban on the export of rhesus monkeys. Vance suggested that Carter make the point that the ban was detrimental to medical research and production of the polio vaccine. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, VIP Visit File, Box 5, India: Prime Minister Desai, 6/12–15/78: Briefing Book)↩
- Carter checked “Yes.”↩
- Carter checked this option. He initialed “J” at the bottom of the page and wrote: “a) He has deep religious convictions, b) His government/people agree with him, c) U.S. has grossly violated promises in past, d) We’ve had years of warning.”↩