86. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Christopher to President Carter1
Panama Treaty Signing. Following your conversation with President Torrijos this afternoon,2 we spoke to OAS Secretary General Orfila who has agreed to send a letter tomorrow inviting all Chiefs of State of participating OAS members to attend the signing ceremony on September 7. The letters will state that the invitation is being extended at the request of you and Torrijos. Orfila will invite Canada and Guyana as hemispheric observer members of the OAS. Orfila has agreed to respond to any public inquiries by stating only that each OAS State has been invited to send a high level representative. We are preparing letters from you to each of the heads of state offering bilateral discussions with you if they are in Washington for the signing.3
[Omitted here is information unrelated to Panama.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 18, Evening Reports (State), 8/77. Secret. Carter initialed the memorandum and wrote: “[name not declassified].” Vance was in Peking August 20–26 meeting with Chairman Hua, Foreign Minister Huang, and other senior Chinese officials.↩
- See Document 85.↩
- Carter wrote in the left margin: “Ok—make them attractive. Let me sign personally.” See footnote 2, Document 85. ↩