38. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State-Designate for European and Eurasian Affairs (Eagleburger) to Secretary of State-Designate Haig1
The following more or less random thoughts on some of the procedural and substantive problems you will face as Secretary of State are drawn from over 20 years experience with the fudge factory, 2 transitions, and almost four years as an Ambassador to a middle-sized post. As you will note, I list more problems than answers.
[Omitted here are discussions not related to human rights.]
Human Rights
I spent 3½ years keeping Pat Derian out of Belgrade, so my prejudices are clear. But with all of that, a nuanced human rights policy that is kept in perspective is a major weapon against the Soviets, a sometime effective tool with erstwhile friends, and a bow in the direction of the left in this country.
The Carter Administration handled the issue badly, but you ought not throw the baby out with the bath water.
One warning: if you turn human rights questions over totally to the bureaus, you will soon find that they will be handled with even less consistency than in the recent past.
[Omitted here are discussions not related to human rights.]
- Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Alexander Haig Papers, Personal Files, Personnel, 1980–1982. Secret.↩