214. Letter From President Carter to Malaysian Prime Minister Hussein1
Thank you very much for your letter of March 122 giving your views on the Common Fund negotiations. In response, I wish to reaffirm the importance that I attach to an effective Common Fund.
Last November, the United States and other industrialized countries agreed that direct capital contributions from governments should be a substantial element of the Common Fund’s resources for buffer stocking purposes and that a second window facility could finance certain non-stabilization measures for commodities of interest to the developing countries.
Our own proposal represented a major effort to accommodate the developing countries’ concerns and to produce, also, a compromise acceptable to the United States. I am pleased that the elements of a Common Fund that will serve our mutual interests emerged at the recent negotiating conference. Of course, a number of complicated issues have yet to be resolved. I look forward to the continued constructive participation of Malaysia in working out the final accord.
I am also aware, Mr. Prime Minister, of the great interest that your country attaches to the outcome of the natural rubber negotiations. We are prepared to address a number of the concerns of the rubber producing countries and would hope that our own concerns will be addressed by them in a similarly constructive manner. Our objective continues to be the negotiation of a workable and balanced agreement that will be of benefit to both the producers and consumers of natural rubber.
Thank you again for your letter. As you know, I very much welcome the opportunity to keep in touch with you on important issues as they arise.
Sincerely,
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Far East, Platt Chron File, Box 66, 3/20–31/79. No classification marking.↩
- See Document 212.↩