Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XXXVIII, International Economic Development; International Debt; Foreign Assistance

8. Memorandum From Vice President Bush to President Reagan¹

Washington, March 26, 1981

SUBJECT

• Ottawa Summit

I wanted to follow up briefly on your assignment to me to chair a Cabinet-level task force on the Ottawa Economic Summit.

One of the principal topics in Ottawa will be North-South issues. This is a key topic, especially in view of your decision to participate in the summit in Mexico in the Fall. The Canadians are responsible for the Summit background paper on this subject. To help point the Canadian paper in a direction consistent with our views, a paper on the topic was put together and coordinated interagency.² My staff has approved it.

The paper is framed in a positive, realistic manner. It suggests that:

— Development will be a long, difficult process which requires overcoming many serious obstacles;

— Development depends on a strong international economy and strong, sustained domestic economic systems and performance;

— Development cannot happen overnight just by the infusion of resources;

— Industrial countries have done much to foster development through a number of private bilateral channels (trade, investment, training, etc.) as well as official assistance programs. The past and future benefits of these types of relations need to be stressed.

We will continue to emphasize these points, which I think will lead to a constructive discussion in Ottawa.

There are several interdepartmental groups (IGs) working on the different agenda items for Ottawa. My staff is also working closely with the NSC staff and people on Jim Baker’s staff and the Cabinet Council on Economic Affairs to ensure we develop well thought-out and coordinated positions well in advance of the summit.

I’ll keep you abreast of our progress, and Cabinet-level reviews as they occur.

George Bush

1. Source: Reagan Library, Douglas McMinn Files, Economic Summit Files, Ottawa—Trade and Economics; NLR–369–9–37–5–8. Confidential.
2. A copy of an undated U.S. paper prepared to guide the Ottawa Summit statement on relations with developing nations, entitled “Industrial and Developing Countries: A Framework for Meaningful Cooperation,” is in the Reagan Library, Douglas McMinn Files, Economic Summit Files, Ottawa—Trade and Economics. According to a typewritten note on the paper, it was prepared prior to the meeting of the Personal Representatives held April 22–24 in Paris and was “made available to all OECD members at the meeting of the OECD Group on North/South Economic Issues, April 8–9, 1981.”