82. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Canada1
SUBJECT
- Letter From the President to Prime Minister Trudeau.
1. (C)—Entire text.
2. Embassy is requested to deliver letter contained in paragraph three below to Prime Minister Trudeau.2 Letter is dated April 3, 1980. There will be no signed original. White House does not plan to release the President’s letter.
3. Begin text: Dear Pierre: Thank you for your letters of March 12 about urgent world problems and our common concerns with the Alaska gas pipeline.3 I appreciate the opportunity for an exchange of views, and I hope we may soon be able to meet in person to consider these questions in greater detail.4
I was pleased by your comments on Afghanistan. We see no evidence at the moment that the Soviets have abandoned their plans to set up a controlled, pro-Soviet regime in that country or that they are prepared to consider a political solution involving the total withdrawal of Soviet forces. But I would welcome a solution of the kind you favor, involving a neutral, non-aligned, unoccupied Afghanistan, and I appreciate Canada’s efforts toward that end. Our two governments and others with the same views should continue to consult on this issue and to remain alert for any sign of a change in Soviet policy.
We are grateful for Canada’s role in the Western response to the Soviet invasion. It is vital to the success of our efforts that the Soviets perceive a consistent, determined, and coordinated response to their aggression. Your position on export credits and on high technology exports has helped to demonstrate that the Allies will not continue to do business as usual. I have noted Canada’s decision to keep grain exports to the Soviet Union at normal levels and not make up the shortfalls caused by reductions in United States grain sales.
We must also emphasize our support for friendly nations in the area such as Pakistan and Turkey, as well as our common commitment to improving NATO defenses. I have asked Cy Vance to discuss these subjects in detail when he meets with External Affairs Minister MacGuigan this month.5
Another element in our response to Soviet aggression is the boycott of the Moscow Olympics. I urge Canada to join in this boycott and to help us organize an international sports festival this summer.6 I will be writing you separately about this matter.7
I share your concern about the financing of the gas pipeline, but I want to reaffirm my determination to press ahead on this project as quickly as possible. Alaskan gas reserves are essential to the United States. Encouraging progress was made in Secretary Duncan’s recent meetings with Minister LaLonde and the interested parties.8
I hope, too, that we can continue to count on Canadian support for our efforts within the International Energy Agency and the Venice Summit preparatory group to agree on tight 1981 oil import ceiling and on ambitious targets for alternative energy supplies. It will be difficult for me to maintain public support for the rigorous measures we are now taking to restrain demand and increase supply unless this effort is seen as part of broader international actions.
Hearings are now scheduled for this month on the East Coast Fisheries and Maritime Boundary Agreements, which have the firm support of my administration.9 These treaties are clearly in the interests of both our countries, and we will make every effort to obtain Senate approval.
The risk of environmental pollution from the increased tanker traffic in Puget Sound and from the United States coal conversion program are, I agree, issues to which we must give serious consideration.
I look forward to working with you again in trying to find solutions to the problems that threaten the peace and stability of the world. I am confident of the ability of our two nations to find common ground on the important bilateral issues that we must address in the coming months.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Carter. End text.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800176–0528. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted in the White House; cleared by Richard J. Smith in EUR, in S/S, and in the NSC; approved by Ahmad.↩
- In elections held on February 18, Trudeau’s Liberal Party won 148 seats, the Progressive Conservatives under Clark won 100 seats, and the New Democratic Party won 33 seats. On March 3, Trudeau was sworn in as Prime Minister. (Henry Giniger, “Trudeau’s Liberals Receive a Majority in Canadian Voting,” New York Times, February 1980, pp. A1, A6; Henry Giniger, “Trudeau is Sworn In and Appoints Loyal Aides to Most Sensitive Posts,” New York Times, p. A11)↩
- Under cover of a March 17 memorandum to Carter, Brzezinski forwarded Trudeau’s March 12 letters, and noted that Trudeau had indicated “a desire to have a personal meeting with you reasonably soon.” At the top of Brzezinski’s memorandum, Carter directed that Brzezinski and Vance should draft a reply and that Vance and Duncan should meet with their counterparts before Carter met Trudeau. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Office File, Box 6, Country Chron, Canada, 1980) In March 17 memorandums to Vance and Duncan, Brzezinski forwarded Carter’s directives. (Ibid.)↩
- In an April 2 memorandum to Carter, Brzezinski noted that this message avoided committing Carter to a separate meeting with Trudeau because they would have an opportunity for bilateral talks at the June G–7 Summit in Venice. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Office File, Box 6, Country Chron, Canada, 1980)↩
- Telegram 2234 from Ottawa, April 24, reported on Vance’s April 23 meeting with MacGuigan, noting that “Frank and productive exchange of views focused on long list of Canadian concerns.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800202–0740) After the meetings, Canada announced further economic sanctions in response to Iran’s continued detention of U.S. hostages. (Telegram 2229 from Ottawa, April 23; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800201–0437)↩
- On January 26, Clark announced that he would ask the Canadian Olympic Association to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games if Soviet forces did not withdraw from Afghanistan by February 20. (Telegram 475 from Ottawa, January 27; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800046–0693) Following his February 18 electoral defeat, Clark did not implement a boycott and left the issue of Canada’s participation to the incoming Trudeau government. (Henry Giniger, “Canada’s Position on the Olympics is Now in Doubt,” New York Times, February 21, 1980, p. 11)↩
- In an April 15 message to Trudeau, WH80447, Carter encouraged Trudeau to make “an appropriate statement requesting that the Canadian Olympic Association not send a team to Moscow.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, President’s Correspondence with Foreign Leaders, Box 3, Canada: Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, 4–12/80) Telegram 2203 from Ottawa, April 22, reported that on April 22, “Canadian ExtAff Minister Mark MacGuigan announced that government had decided to urge Canadian Olympic Association not to participate in the 1980 Moscow Games.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800201–0076)↩
- In a March 25 memorandum to Carter, Duncan reported on his March 24 meeting with LaLonde. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 7, Canada: 10/79–1/81)↩
- On March 29, 1979, the United States and Canada signed two treaties, one arranging for binding international arbitration of the maritime boundary in the Gulf of Maine, the other establishing a joint management of the shared fishing grounds in the Atlantic. (Address by Thomas R. Pickering, “Maritime Boundary and Resource Agreements,” Department of State Bulletin, June 1979, pp. 7–9)↩