Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXX, Public Diplomacy

123. Memorandum From Robert Pastor of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)¹

Washington, March 26, 1978

SUBJECT

• The North-South Scholarship Proposal—Revised

At your instructions,² I have significantly revised the North-South scholarship proposal, shortening it from 4 pages to a little more than one page. I have also mentioned the idea of a poor but talented undergraduate program, but combined the NSC recommendation with that of the other agencies. As written, the recommendation is just for designating graduate students who already have scholarships. I think the President is likely to approve the idea for three simple reasons: all of the agencies are pretty much in agreement; it is a compelling symbol of US interest in the developing world, particularly with Humphrey’s name attached to it; and most importantly, it is not likely to cost very much.

You may want to hold on to the proposal and give it to the President on the plane,³ or send it forward today.

RECOMMENDATION

That you sign the memorandum attached at Tab I and send it forward.⁴

Tab I

Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter ⁵

Washington, undated

SUBJECT

• North-South Scholars: A Tribute to Senator Humphrey

Several years ago, President Perez initiated a large-scale scholarship program, called the Ayacucho Program,⁶ with the purpose of trying to educate an entire new generation of Venezuelans. My staff has been working with people from other agencies on a proposal which is very similar to Perez’ program, only it would finance the scholarships of students from all the developing countries to study in the U.S. Your stop in Caracas would provide a perfect opportunity to announce the program, making the point that we have profited from Venezuela’s idea.

The program is quite simple. Its purpose would be to focus the attention of the American people on the importance of the developing world—a principal theme of your Caracas speech.⁷ The scholarship program could be named for Senator Humphrey, who was so identified with and so sympathetic to the North-South dialogue. Like the Rhodes scholarships, the Humphrey scholarship could provide education and a common experience for a new generation of leaders.

The program could be focused in one of two directions. We could select five poor but extremely talented undergraduates from all the developing countries (approximately 600 per year) and finance their undergraduate education. This program would cost about $30 million and for that reason many of the agencies believe that the direction of the program should be towards graduate students.

Of course, we have many scholarship programs for graduate students, and one idea would be merely to designate several graduate students who already have scholarships to the U.S., as Humphrey Scholars. The “Humphrey Scholarship” designation would be a prestigious one, and perhaps it could include a special one-month seminar each year where North-South problems could be addressed. Such a program would be very inexpensive, but might project the same symbol that we would like to project with a more extensive and expensive undergraduate program. State, USIA, HEW, and OMB all commented on the original NSC proposal for undergraduate scholarships by saying that they thought the idea was an excellent one, but too expensive. All those agencies preferred a graduate program instead. I have re-evaluated the original NSC proposal and now concur with the other agencies that a graduate program would be more desirable.

RECOMMENDATION

That you approve the idea of a Humphrey Scholarship program which would designate selected graduate students from developing countries who already have scholarships to attend U.S. universities. This could be announced in an appropriate way in Caracas.⁸

1. Source: Carter Library, White House Central Files, Subject File, Foreign Affairs, Information-Exchange Activities-Educational, Executive, Box FO–35, FO 5–1 1/20/77–5/31/78. No classification marking.
2. In a March 13 memorandum to Brzezinski, Pastor indicated that following Brzezinski’s transmittal of the January 24 memorandum to the President (see footnotes 3 and 5, Document 119) Hutcheson sent the memorandum to HEW, OMB, the Department of State, and USIA (USICA) for comment. After receiving the comments, Hutcheson asked Pastor to redraft the North-South proposal. Pastor transmitted the redraft to Brzezinski under the March 13 memorandum. Brzezinski wrote on the March 13 memorandum: “Bob—This verges on the ludicrous! A 4 p. memo to the P. of the USA asking 2 trivial questions. Prepare a decision memo for me. ZB.” (Ibid.)
3. Reference is to the President’s trip to Caracas, March 28–29. The President departed Washington, D.C. the morning of March 28. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials, President’s Daily Diary)
4. The President did not approve or disapprove the recommendation but added a comment to the first page of the undated memorandum attached at Tab I. See footnote 8, below.
5. No classification marking. Sent for action.
6. Known as the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho scholarship program.
7. Presumable reference to the President’s March 29 remarks made before the Venezuelan Congress. The text of the remarks is printed in Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book I, pp. 619–623. During his toast made at a March 28 State dinner at La Casona in Caracas, Carter referenced the benefits of cultural exchange programs in establishing “bonds of understanding.” He continued, “Because of this visit and others on my journey, and in memory of your friend, our great American statesman, Hubert Humphrey, I would like to announce tonight my intention to establish a program of Humphrey scholarships which will bring poor but outstanding students from Latin America and throughout the world to study in the colleges of the United States.” (Ibid., p. 618) The full text of Carter’s remarks is ibid., pp. 617–619.
8. The President did not approve or disapprove the recommendation but wrote in the top right-hand corner of the first page of the memorandum: “Zbig—I like the HHH scholarship idea—We should leave the details until later. More staff work is needed. JC.”