147. Briefing Memorandum From the Acting Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lissakers) to Secretary of State Vance1
State/AID/IDCA Relationship
Tom Ehrlich is meeting with you tomorrow2 to discuss the future relationship between State, AID and IDCA. You may want to make the following points:
—We look forward to supporting a strong IDCA and want to provide whatever assistance we can in IDCA’s efforts to develop a more coherent and effective US foreign assistance program.
We understand that IDCA plans to put together a comprehensive foreign assistance budget for FY–81, to include a review and zero-based budget ranking of AID, PL–480, ISTC, some voluntary contributions to international organizations, OPIC, and US contributions to the Multilateral Development Banks. We think this is an important and useful exercise.
—As over the past several years, the Department plans its own review of bilateral foreign assistance budgets before they are submitted to OMB. At the conclusion of our review, I expect to submit to OMB [Page 582] my own views on the size and content of the FY–81 foreign assistance budget. Our staffs can work together on the specific timing and modalities of the Department’s review process, and how it corresponds to IDCA’s review process. I am sure we shall be able to cooperate fruitfully together.
—We expect State regional and country officers to continue their day-to-day contact and cooperation with their counterparts in AID and their traditional participation in the preparation of the AID budget.
—On the entire range of economic policies involving LDCs—including North-South issues—we look forward to working with IDCA.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Official Working Papers of S/P, 1977–1981, Box 5, S/P—Lake Papers—7/16–31/79. Unclassified. Drafted by Carol Lancaster (S/P).↩
- No minutes of this meeting were found. Carter announced Ehrlich’s nomination as Director of IDCA on July 19. (Public Papers: Carter, 1979, Book II, p. 1272)↩