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

61. Memorandum From the Associate Press Secretary (Schecter) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)¹

Washington, June 7, 1977

SUBJECT

• USIA/NSC Coordination

The USIA/NSC coordination meeting this morning included an agenda of the following items:

1. USIA’s survey division is offering an analysis of our CSCE tactics and strategy as perceived in Europe over the summer. Such an analysis, to be available by late August, could help us in planning how to proceed at the Belgrade Conference in September.² USIA would like to consult with Hunter and Tuchman on the kind of questions to be asked in the survey. They are also offering surveys on major upcoming issues if we provide two or three months lead time.

2. USIA is offering a briefing on the Voice of America (VOA): how it functions, how it can help, and what are off limits. Thomas Tuch, Acting Director of VOA, will provide a briefing of 10–15 minutes and then answer questions. I suggest you consider having him brief at an NSC staff meeting. We could do the whole thing in one-half hour at the most.

3. USIA is participating in the human rights PRM with special emphasis on its communications role and will have a copy of its study³ to the NSC by June 15.

4. NSC briefings for USIA policy guidance are continuing.⁴ Bob Hormats is scheduled on CIEC this week and we hope to get Mike Armacost on Asia, South Korea, and Vietnam next week.

RECOMMENDATION:

That you agree to a briefing for the NSC staff by Thomas Tuck on the VOA to be given at an NSC staff meeting.⁵

1. Source: Carter Library, White House Central Files, Subject File, Federal Government, United States Information Agency, Executive, Box FG–210, FG–266 1/20/77–1/20/81. No classification marking. Sent for action. Inderfurth initialed the top right-hand corner of the memorandum.
2. The Belgrade Conference was scheduled to take place in October, rather than September.
3. See Document 67.
4. Under a June 12 memorandum to Bray, Schecter transmitted copies of the corrected transcripts for Hunter and Tuchman’s June 2 briefing on CSCE and human rights, Armacost’s June 16 briefing on East Asian affairs, and Pastor’s June 23 briefing on Latin American affairs. (National Archives, RG 306, Office of the Director, Executive Secretariat, Secretariat Staff, Correspondence Files, 1973–1980, Entry P–104, Box 129, 7702700–7702709)
5. Brzezinski underlined “Thomas Tuck [Tuch]” and “NSC staff meeting” and drew a line from Tuch’s name to the bottom margin and wrote “how many minutes? Is it worthwhile?” Brzezinski did not approve or disapprove the recommendation.