323. Letter From President Carter to Uruguayan President Mendez1

Dear Mr. President:

I delayed a response to your message of January 11, 1978 to allow time for informal discussions about your government’s offer to host the VIII General Assembly of the Organization of American States.2

I was impressed by the positive tone of your letter and the expressed desire that we work together to restore our traditional close relations. The reason we could not support your invitation was our belief that, if the Inter-American system is to be viable, its member states should effectively comply with the responsibilities of membership of all the organs of the Organization of American States. As Ambassador McGee indicated after the vote on your government’s invitation, Uruguay’s relations with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission should be normalized before the USG could support such an invitation.3

I believe these events have been valuable in giving us an opportunity to explain our own position and understand the other side’s. I was particularly encouraged by your government’s action in sending a special delegation here to resolve differences with the Inter-American [Page 921] Human Rights Commission.4 I hope that the government of Uruguay would be in a position to explore with the Commission the possibility of an acceptable solution to the current impasse.

You will be hearing from us soon about your invitation to me to send a person or group to Uruguay to view the human rights situation.5

Sincerely,

Jimmy Carter
  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron, Box 52, Uruguay. No classification marking.
  2. In telegram 104 from Montevideo, January 12, the Embassy transmitted Mendez’s January 11 letter to the Department. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780018-0324) In a February 8 memorandum to Carter regarding that letter and Uruguay’s bid to host the OAS General Assembly, Brzezinski wrote: “Given its poor human rights record and its defiance of the Inter-American Human Rights Commission (IAHRC), State, in consultation with NSC, adopted a strategy of trying to elicit an invitation from Uruguay for the IAHRC by informing them that our vote on their bid was contingent on their commitment to adopt a new relationship with the IAHRC.” He continued: “We sought support from other ‘like-minded’ O.A.S. members, and when Uruguay decided to test our support, they asked for a vote and lost. There are indications that the Uruguayans are beginning to take the human rights situation seriously and could conceivably negotiate a visit by the IAHRC.” Carter signed an attached letter to Mendez, but then wrote at the bottom of the February 8 memorandum: “Let’s don’t send. J” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron, Box 52, Uruguay) A March 2 memorandum from Brzezinski to Carter reported that Alvarez and Mendez were “insulted” by the lack of a reply to the January 11 letter, and noted that Pezzullo “is concerned that a failure to reply could be used by the hardline, anti-U.S. elements in the government.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron, Box 52, Uruguay)
  3. In telegram 25776 to all American Republic diplomatic posts, January 31, the Department reported on the OAS vote against Uruguay’s offer to hold the VIII OASGA in Montevideo and summarized McGee’s statement after the vote. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780046-1096)
  4. In telegram 299 from Montevideo, January 26, the Embassy reported on the GOU’s “framework and agenda for negotiations with the IAHRC.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780039-0597) In telegram 24560 to Montevideo, January 31, the Department summarized discussions it held with the Uruguayan special delegation, which was led by Borad. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780045-0189)
  5. Mendez made this offer during the two leaders’ bilateral meeting in September 1977. See footnote 5, Document 319.