[SANITIZED]NOTE FOR: ACTING DIRECTOR - 1977/02/04

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03295490
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: February 4, 1977

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NOTE FOR: Acting Director
4 February 1977
3.5(c)
1. Attached is a memorandum from Bob Gates of the Center for
Policy Support on an interdepartmental meeting convened by Dr.
Brzezinski and Jessica Tuthman, NSC Staff Member for Global Issues,
pertaining to promoting the human rights in fulfillment of President
Carter's stated desires in this area. A State Department representative
advised that Secretary Vance would recommend reduction of FY 78 FMS
to Argentina by 50 percent and similar sanctions against Uruguay and
Ethiopia. State reps added that this would be kind of a weak signal,
as aid was being cut to Uruguay and Ethiopia primarily for other
reasons; therefore, Argentina would be the only one out of 79
"sinner" countries to suffer. Brzezinski did not like that. Other
State reps urged early U.S. ratification of the UN Genocide Treaty
and International Covenants on Human Rights. 14s. Tuchman indicated
the President was going to go "all out" to repeal the Byrd Amendment,
but had not determined his position on the Jackson/Vanik Amendment,
the unintended results of which have disillusioned Congress.
Participants were concerned because of our apparent double standard
between Communist and non-Communist countries in human rights matters.
No tasks were assigned at the meeting; however, a PRM will be issued
shortly directing both the immediate examination of actions the
Administration can take to show its intentions in this field and a long
range study reviewing the complexities of this problem and suggesting
policy options.
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
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3 Februa:ry 1977
MEMORANDUM FOR: E. H. Knoche
Acting Director of Central Intelligence
Sayre Stevens
Deputy Director for Intelligence
William. Wells
Deputy Director for Operations
THROUGH
FROM
SUBJECT
H. F. Hutchinson, Jr.t
Acting Director, Center for Policy Support
Robert Gates4iLC.,N
Soviet andC ast European Affairs, Center for
Policy Support
Brzezinski Meeting on Human Rights
Summary
1. Dr. Brzezinski and Jessica Tuchman, NSC Staff Member
for Global Issues, convened an interdepartmental meeting on
2 February to discuss translating the President's commitment
to promoting human rights abroad into "consistent and respon-
sible" action. A list of participants is attached. In his
opening remarks, Brzezinski referred to recent "complications"
(the State Department pronouncements on Czechoslovakia and
the USSR), but said that the President specifically told
Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin last week that the US would be
raising such issues again in the future.
2. After lengthy discussion, summarize& below, the
following major points emerged:
--A Presidential Review Memorandum concerning human
rights probably will be issued this week. It will direct
an examination of immediate actions the Administration can
take to signal its intentions to the Congress and foreign
states with respect to human rights and foreign policy,
and will call for a longer range study reviewing all the
issues, complications and options relating to human rights
considerations and measures in framing US foreign policy.
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3.5(c)
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The first part of the study will have a very short deadline,
probably next week. The second will be due in March or April.
--No tasks were assigned at the meeting pending issuance
of the PRM. While State, Commerce and Treasury will have the
leading role in responding to both parts of the PRM, CIA prob-
ably will have a part to play primarily in the longer range
study.
--Following the meeting, Dr. Tuchman indicated to me
that, at the outset, the Agency might give attention in its
reporting to human rights problems and conditions abroad
and probably will have a role in the PRM and other inter-
agency forums in analyzing the effectiveness of measures
under consideration or already taken. She admitted that a
clearer role probably will emerge as the Administration's
policy develops.
--Tuchman said that the importance the White House
attaches to the human rights question abroad is demonstrated
by the President's designation of Brzezinski as the White
House contact on foreign human rights questions, a position
filled in recent years by domestic advisers such as David
Lissy, Myron Kuropas and Leonard Garment.
--Brzezinski told the participants that similar inter-
agency meetings are likely to be called in the future for
discussion of human rights issues and US polLcy. (It would
seem appropriate for CIA to designate a senior officer to
serve as the Agency's representative at these meetings, and
to coordinate Agency participation in preparation of the PRM
and subsequent intelligence support.)
The Discussion
3. Discussion at the meeting centered on three problems:
how to proceed organizationally, signals to the Congress
versus effective action abroad in promoting human rights,
and the necessity of making a distinction in our human rights
policy between Communist and non-Communist states. �
How to Proceed
4. A key consideration determining the need for prompt
action is that final decisions on the FY 78 FMS (foreign
military sales) budget--the most convenient and obvious means
to signal both the Congress and foreign countries of Adminis-
tration intentions vis-a-vis human rights--must be made within
"
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two weeks. Therefore, there was general agreement that any
study must involve examination both of short-term options
and a longer-range, comprehensive review of the problem.
Brzezinski and Tuchman left us with the impression that a
PRM will be issued in a day or so calling fo:f proposed
options for action within five to ten days. The PRM will
also call for a longer range study of the problem to be
due later in the spring.
Signals to Congress Versus Effective Action Abroad
5. This subject dominated the meeting, with the NSC
Staff more concerned for the near term with signalling the
Congress of serious Administration intentions than with
effective action abroad. The most obvious means proposed
to send such signals immediately is to cut the FY 78 FMS
budgets of offending countries, although Brzezinski was
interested in other options. State informed the other
participants that Secretary Vance has decided, on the
basis of human rights considerations, to recommend reduction
of FY 78 FMS to Argentina by 50 percent, elimination of
FMS assistance to Uruguay, and elimination of MAP to Ethiopia.
He did not cut Zaire or Korea, the latter because it will
be severely attacked by so many others. The Department of
State participants added, however, that this represents a
very weak signal inasmuch as only one country--Argentina--
out of 79 reported "sinners" is being cut. (Uruguay had
already been tapped for loss of FMS and Chile had earlier
been cut; other considerations as well as human rights
influenced the decision on Ethiopia.)
6. Brzezinski said he was uneasy about singling out
one or two countries for cuts. A State Department partici-
pant expressed particular concern that Latin America is
being singled out because there are so few conflicting
US interests and the decision therefore seems easy.
Several participants pointed out that FMS cuts would have
little effect in the countries concerned and, in fact,
could prove counterproductive�for example, in Korea.
Others expressed concern that cutting FMS would neither
satisfy the Congress nor be effective abroad.
7. The NSC representatives asked for options other
than cutting FMS to demonstrate our concern for human
rights and there was some discussion of juggling PL-480
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funds, economic assistance and multilateral initiatives.
Representatives from State and the US Mission to the UN
urged a serious effort to obtain US ratification of the
Genocide Treaty and the International Covenants on Human
Rights, as well as repeal or amendment of the Byrd Amend-
ment. These, they argued, would be effective, early signals
to the Congress that would buy time for study of the problem
and US options in a rational way. It was agreed that the
PRM would address these and other possible options.
Human Rights Policy Toward Communist Versus Non-Communist States
8. The NSC Staff was concerned about the existence
of a double standard in US human rights policy between
Communist and non-Communist countries--i.e., that we take
firm action against non-Communist countries while merely
tut-tutting Communist states. The State Department partici-
pants asserted that, in fact, there is no pressure from the
Congress to have a single approach to both Communist and
non-Communist countries and that there is recognition on
the Hill of the existence of a double standard. State con-
tended that public pressure or actions against the USSR
would doom to failure efforts to promote human rights
there. Kempton Jenkins, Acting Assistant Secretary of
State for Congressional Relations, added that there is
considerable disenchantment in the Congress with the
Jackson/Vanik Amendment and a desire to find a way out of
the problems it has created. (Tuchman noted that the Presi-
dent has made no decision whether to break with the Jackson/
Vanik Amendment, although he has decided to go "all-out"
on the Byrd Amendment.) The discussion of this aspect of
the human rights problem closed on an inconclusive note.
ATTACHMENT: h/w
UUP
4
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M
STA TE
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� PARTICIPANTS
INFORMAL MTTERAGENCY MEETING ON
HUMAN RIGHTS.
February 2, 1977
Dr, Zbigniew P.,rzezinski
Dr. Jessica Tuc.hman
Capt. Robert Kimmiti:
Edward Sanders, Deputy Associz,.te. Directoa: for International Affairs
Denis Lamb, Executive Assistant in the Deputy Secretary's Office
Richard Ericson, D-2puty Director Politico-Military Affairs
Kempton Jenkins, Acting Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relation;
Sandra Vogelgesang, Member Policy Planning Staff
James Lawenstein, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs
William Leurs, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Inter-American Affairs
Ernest Preeg, Deputy Assistant Secretary, International Finance
and Development
Richard Holbrook, Assistant Secretary of East Asian Affairs
Patricia Darrian, Prospective Candidate for Coordinator for Human
Rights and Humanitarian Affairs
William Gle-y-steen, Deputy Assistant Secreary for East Asian and
Pacific Affairs
James M. 'Wilson, Ccordinator for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affrs.
Capt. James M. Patton, Member Policy Planning Staff
Ann Holloway, TO
TREASURY
Fred Bergsten, Assistant Secretary Designate for international Affrs.
Dick Erb, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Developing Nations
COMMERCE
'Frank Weil, Assistant Secretary Designate for Domestic
- International Business
Arthur Do VIT).ey Deputy Assistant. Secretary.br East-West Trade
Charles L. Haslam, General Counsel Designate
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CIA
Dr. Robert Gates, Center for Policy Support
DEFENSE
Brig. Gen. James M. Thompson, Office of Policy Plans, ISA
JCS
AID
USIA
UN
Rear Admiral Samuel H. Packer
Col. Edwin M. Anderson
Philip Birnbaum, .Ass stant Administrator for Programs and Policy
Walter Bastian, Deputy Director for Policy ez Plans
Brady Tyson
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