137. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter1
[Omitted here is information unrelated to Panama.]
6. Panama: Bob Byrd asked Warren to come up to talk about the floor debate on the Treaties, and they were joined by Howard Baker. When the debate begins next week,2 both Byrd and Baker, and no doubt others, will have opening statements, after which the Neutrality Treaty will be discussed article by article. Amendments will be in order at the time, and Byrd will try to insure that the Amendments regarding [Page 368] the October 14 Statement will be introduced, with many sponsors, prior to the recess.3
Byrd, Baker and Warren will meet again tomorrow morning4 along with White House and State Congressional relations people to assess the vote count, Senator by Senator, and discuss how we can improve our situation. They will also discuss our plans for supporting our side in the debate.
[Omitted here is information unrelated to Panama.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 19, Evening Reports (State), 1/78. Secret.↩
- The week of February 6.↩
- Carter wrote in the left margin: “Ok—I’ll show Byrd the TV speech—He asked.” See footnote 6, Document 99. ↩
- February 1.↩