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

132. Memorandum From the Director of the International Communication Agency (Reinhardt) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)¹

Washington, June 5, 1978

SUBJECT

• President’s Speech on U.S.-Soviet Relations

We assume the President’s Wednesday speech on U.S.-Soviet relations² will go beyond a strict bilateral definition of that relationship.

Psychologically, and in terms of the reaction to the speech in the Third World in particular, we hope it will appeal to a number of the anxieties—in Africa and elsewhere—which have thus far been largely latent but could usefully be surfaced.

Specifically, it would be useful if the President could constructively outline a “code of conduct” for superpower behavior in the Third World, perhaps using the 1972 summit declaration of principles³ as a point of departure. We believe such a proposal would have wide resonance in important Third World countries such as India and Yugoslavia, as well as in Africa.

We would hope that the speech would also touch on the following points which, our analysis suggests, would elicit useful reaction:

—There is concern in a number of African countries, including the anglophones, that lying behind the Soviet interest in at least limited influence in Africa is a “grand design.” The speech could usefully raise the question of the USSR’s hegemonial intentions.

—The President might note that external forces invited into a conflict situation for one purpose have been known to remain for other purposes. Most African countries have their own splinter groups, ethnic or political, and the President could usefully raise the question whether any of the world’s countries wishes to have mercenary forces operating “in the neighborhood.” This strikes us as a point on which to appeal to Third World opinion—specifically including the Caribbean.

—Given Soviet sponsorship of the Cuban presence in Africa, it may be worth calling into question Cuba’s “non-aligned” status. This point should be made in low key, but followed up with private discussion (and particularly with the Indians). Cuba attaches considerable importance to hosting the Non-Aligned Conference in 1979.⁴

—There appears to be—as yet unofficial—Eastern European concern with the future of detente. Recognizing the delicacy of the matter, there may be some utility in accentuating these concerns.

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 63, Speeches: Annapolis, 5–6/78. Confidential; Sensitive. Bray initialed for Reinhardt. A copy was sent to Vance. A notation in an unknown hand in the upper right-hand corner of the memorandum indicates that Brzezinski saw it.
2. June 7. The President’s speech is printed in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. I, Foundations of Foreign Policy, Document 87.
3. Reference is to the “Basic Declaration of Principles of Relations Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,” issued in Moscow on May 29, 1972. The text is printed in Public Papers: Nixon, 1972, pp. 633–634.
4. Scheduled to take place in Havana September 3–9, 1979.