99. Telegram From the Department of State to Multiple Diplomatic and Consular Posts1
256666. For Ambassador or DCM. Subject: Reorganization Plan No. 2—Creation of Agency for International Communication. References: (A) State 244017;2 (B) State 244730.3
1. In his testimony before Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Oct 25 former Senator J.W. Fulbright expressed some concern that consolidation of the educational exchange program with information program of USIA might be misunderstood in Commission countries.4 He said that the binational Commissions (particularly representatives of other nations who serve on them) might perceive the transfer of the program from the Department to the Agency for International Communication as a shift away from the mutuality emphasis of present educational exchanges to an approach more closely identified with the propagation of U.S. views.
2. Reftel (A) provides you with the text of the President’s message to the Congress outlining his purposes with regard to the reorganization, including his assurances that integrity of educational and cultural programs will be protected.
3. In order to enable the administration to respond to the Senate on the problem posed by Senator Fulbright, you are requested to have it presented to the executive directors of the Fulbright Commissions in your country, have them consult with key if not all commission [Page 285] members. They should be furnished with, and have an opportunity to reflect on, text of President’s message. Executive Secretaries should then obtain from them, particularly the national members, any views they may wish to convey.
4. Because of the time frame in which the hearings on the reorganization bill are proceeding you are requested to transmit the report of the executive directors on these discussions to the Department to be received in Washington by C.O.B. Tuesday Nov 1.
5. If you conclude that raising this subject presents problems we would appreciate knowing this ASAP.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770393–0913. Unclassified; Immediate. Sent immediate to all European diplomatic posts, Bangkok, Bogota, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Canberra, Colombo, Islamabad, Kabul, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, Lima, Manila, Monrovia, Montevideo, New Delhi, Quito, Santiago, Seoul, Taipei, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, and Wellington. Also sent to Bern, Berlin, Bucharest, Budapest, Luxembourg, Moscow, Ottawa, Prague, Sofia, USNATO, the Mission in Berlin, Valletta, and Warsaw. Drafted by Straus; cleared by Hitchcock, Roth, Vogel, Cohen, Hirschhorn, and Mason; approved by Read.↩
- In telegram 244017 to all diplomatic and consular posts, October 12, the Department transmitted the text of the President’s October 11 message to Congress on USIA–CU reorganization. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770371–0242) The text of Carter’s October 11 message to the Congress is printed as Document 93.↩
- In telegram 244730 to multiple diplomatic and consular posts, October 12, the Department transmitted the text of a message from Donald Lowitz, the chair of the Board of Foreign Scholarships, for transmittal to bi-national commissions. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770373–0690)↩
- A transcript of Fulbright’s October 25 testimony is printed in Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1977, Hearing Before the Committee on Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, Ninety-Fifth Congress, First Session, October 25, 1977. (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1977)↩