Office of the Historian

34. Memorandum From Paul Henze of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, April 24, 1979

SUBJECT

  • Soviet/EE Book Program (S)

Stan Turner won’t give an inch on adding money for the book program, so our effort to get him to reverse his decision to cut back on the program for FY 1980 (and not continue the expansion approved two years ago by the SCC) has to be chalked up as a failure. (S)

In the attached memo2 he says no funds can be found but says they will keep looking. (S)

My own sources at the Agency indicate that funds are not really this tight (the Iranian debacle and other shifts have caused a good deal of budgetary adjustment and money could be found!) but Turner has made this an issue on which he is unwilling to give in to you. I am told that further effort to press him on this now will probably only solidify his position—so the advice is to press during the summer for allocation of FY-year-end funds. [name not declassified] who is immediately responsible for this program and a strong supporter of it, promises [Page 114] me he will remain alert for possibilities and will signal us when he thinks pressure from you could have a good effect. I see no alternative but to content ourselves with this for now—since cuts now contemplated do not start until 1 October. (S)

Do you3 AGREE DISAGREE ?

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Horn/Special, Box 3, Chron File: 4/79. Secret; Sensitive. Sent for action.↩
  2. At Tab A is Turner’s April 9 memorandum to Brzezinski. See footnote 4, Document 32 .↩
  3. Brzezinski did not mark either option.↩