INTERAGENCY STEERING GROUP ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00148R000100360010-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2008
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: August 26, 1982
• Content Type: MEMO

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RECORD luUPY
OEXA 82-2067
26 August 1982
MEMORANDUM FOR: Constantine C. Menges
National Intelligence Officer for Latin America
Director, Oflice o External Affairs
SUBJECT: Interagency Steering Group on Public Affairs
REFERENCE: Your Memo of 5 August 1982, Same Subject (DDI 6419/82)
Dear Constantine:
Thank you for the comprehensive resume concerning the Interagency
Steering Group on Public Affairs vis-a-vis Central America. I would
greatly appreciate it if you would let me know far enough in advance of the
next meeting so that I may plan on attending. In this regard, would you or
your secretary please call and give her the STAT
time and place. Perhaps we can drive down together.
Distribution:
Orig - Addressee
1 - D/OEXA Subj (w/basic)
1 - DD/OEXA (w/o/basic)
- OEXA Subject (w/basic)
1 - OEXA Chron (w/o/basic)
D/OEXA:JWD:jms (26 Aug 82)
 CONFIDENTIAL
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DDI-6419-82
5 August 1982
Director, Uffice o External Affairs
FROM : National Intelligence Officer for Latin America
SUBJECT : Background Information on the Interagency Steering
Group on Public Affairs
1. Per your request, the following provides some backgrou
information on the Interagency Steering Group on Public Affairs
decided to establish the special steering group under the 25X1
chairmanship of John Bushnell. The group includes representatives from
a number of State Department offices (including Public Affairs), the NSC,
DOD/ISA, JCS, ICA, AID, CIA/DDO, and CIA/NIO/LA. Representatives from
your office also have attended a couple sessions. The group has met
approximately twice a month since its inception 25X1
3. The primary purpose of the group has been to pursue a more active
communications policy on Central American issues vis-a-vis the American
public, Congress (particularly with regard to the Caribbean Basin Initia-
tive), and foreign opinion leaders (especially in Western Europe). The
attached agendas from the initial and most recent sessions provide some
flavor of the specific activities the group has undertaken. Some of the
major projects include:
Creation of a Central America Information Task Force (see
attached memo)
Development of a multi-agency speakers bureau and the prepara-
tion of an extensive briefing package
-- Publication of several State Department "GISTS" on Central
America es as well as other more informal talking
papers.
4. CIA has contributed biographic material on Salvadoran and
Nicaraguan leaders and an OGI study on the repression of the Miskito Indians
in eastern Nicar ua which INR is reissuing as an unclassified State Depart-
ment report.
~~
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2
5. With the naming of John Bushnell as Ambassador to Argentina,
Steven Bosworth has taken over the chair. Recent efforts have focused
on getting the CBI through Congress and Salvadoran certification.
Constantine C. Menges
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MEMORANDUM FOR: Members of Intmr5agezcy Steering
Central American Public Ianusc
FROM. John. Bushnal~~
- -- Chairman _ O t ".
wmm~,7loa D.C. 20'570
.1 would like to call our second meeting for
Friday, March 12 in Room 69C9 at Main State, 3:00 PM.
Attached is an agenda for that meeting. We will
also be distributing a number of materials which will
serve as a basis for discussion, including (a) a now
GIST on "Salvadoran Elections", (b) a report on
recent activities, (c) Dr. Ikle'o testimony of
Decet,ber 15, 1981, (d) DOD' o "Btg_nifica:-7t Points
Regarding Latin America_ and (a) Statements by tha
Senate and House Select Intelligence Committee Chair-
men on El Salvador.
we will also be distri;Duting for discussion at
the meeting a draft of a concise-statement of US
strategic interests in the Caribbean.
Attachment:
As Stated.
CONPIDIiL M
GDS3/ld)OC
(1-
25X1
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Wvr w awsj v 1 Ir 4.
Inters easy Steering Grou ;
Central Anerican Public Issues
AGENDA
Meeting at - i6- ,m; , -March 12
Rona-6909 RSain-s4ate
A. Report on and Coordination of Activities
1. Salvadoran contracting of media asairrtanee (ICA/U /guntmol;a
2. ICA reenforcement of post (ICA)
National Security presentations (DOD)'
4. Nicaragua briefings (CIA, DIA, Bushnell)
5. .^?.lectiols GIST
(Use in Europe - EUR/ICA)
6. Sios on guerrilla leaders (SNR/CIA)
(Improvement and use)--
B. Central American Strategy: -
A key question is how to engage the Anerican public. At presort.
the agenda and framework for public debate is primarily a
humanitarian and human rights framework. Yet policy is driven
by a strategic national interests framework. now do we changa
this basic agenda and engage a broader public?
C. GIST on National Security Interests in the Caribbean and
Central America (draft to be circulated at mating fos
co=sent Mach 15) -
D. Creation of multi-agency speakers bureau
(flew to coordinate speaker requests astag ageroies7)
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Interagency Steering Group
Central American Issues
Meeting Monday July 12
3:00 PM
Room 6909 Main State
AGENDA
I.Future Strategy
1. Certification on El Salvador
2. CBI-Update & PA Outreach Effort
A. Review of Projects Underway
--a. Direct Line Interviews
--b. CBI Coalition
- Continued media effort
3. Guatemala Policy
4. Future of Task Force
II.Coordination
A. Status of Gists (Bosworth)
B. Congressional Handouts
C. Military Prospects Paper (DOD)
D. Paper on Miskito repression.
Papers for Distribution
Gist on El Salvador - June '82
Selected Congressional Handouts
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INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
FILE Copy
Co::FIDENT IAL
TO: The Secretary
H RU: P - Mr. E_gieburcer
FROM: ARA - Steve Bosworth, Acting
S:iiJECT: Initial Report of Central America Information
Task Force
Summary: The Task Force on Central American Information
has established both State Department and Inter-Agency
groups to improve coordination and to expand to quantity
and quality of resources available. Medium term strategies
are being prepared to include key events affecting
the media coverage. The Task Force has immediately
become operational in increasing favorable placements
and resolving pending problems of resources available
to assist the press while working on the quality and
quantity of materials. The lack of personnel already
familiar with Central America will slow the work of
the Task Force somewhat.
OUTPUT. The Task Force h,~s been involved in the
rc'_lowirig:
-- with ICA, strengthening of Salvzciorar. ncnia handling
through contracting an American public relations firm;
Venezuelans are helping; contract expected teelz of
,;arch 8.
-- With ICA, strengthening ability of U,S Em..ba;s,
in El Salvador to handle visiting foreign pressr ?CZ
personnel arriving week of March 8.
Intelligence briefing for press on 1iicaracta,
Promoting stories on two Salvadoran guerrillas
captured during kidnap attempt in Costa Rica, exposes
t:icaraguan training and logistic role.
- with Defense, developing more explicit statement
on US security interests in Central America.
- Preparation of GIST on Salvadoran elccticrs;
issued March 8.
CO':"-ID=AL
 ~'1FJD NTIAL,
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Publicity on de?,,ct.,tion of Miskito Indians by
Nicaraguan Government; presentation to GAS; placement
c` story in media.
Prepared unclass:.ficd material comparing Ungo's
;.on-violent statement on elections during US TV interview
ith simultaneous guerr1Ila broadcasts threatening
to mine roads to disr-,pt the elections; sent to overseas
)sts, making availal- to US media.
Preparation for edi.a coverage of US election
observer mission to Sa?vador; upgrade to Presidential
ission; possible Presidential involvement in dispatch.
- Coordination to assure dispatch to Europe within
a few days of officials able to deal -ith Central
Anericar. issues.
-- Preparation of article for Baltimore Su, or. our
Salvador policy. -- Coordination of speakers for such opportunities
as inter-American Press Association, various TV shows;
meetings of editors; r.e6ium-term plan will be completed
:eek of March 8.
-- Release of unclassified bios on key Salvadoran
Guerrilla leaders.
-- Preparation of hiob quality. basic speeches on
Central America and CEI for use by government speakers
throughout country.
-- Review and quality upgrade on standard Q&A's;
're
arati
f
'
_
p
on o
special Q&A
s for use in Europe.
-- Establishment of _peaket:s Bureau drawing on
acencies.
-- Establishment of one person in Stc.te;PA nl;srged
ro coordinate provisio-, of material to press and to
Presentation to prays on iLs.errors.
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-- Direct contact with newspapers where there are
serious errors of fact ir. Central American stories
(firs: case on Post begur. March 5).
Issue GIST presentir., our national security interests
Central America by '-:arch 15.
~e Related Accomplishments
-- State,-,ents on Nicaraguan intelligence by Boland
a-.-4 Goldwater.
- Your release of story on Nicaraguan captured
jr E1 Salvador.
0= NIZATION.
During its initial 10 days the Task Force has
beer. recruiting personnel and establishing structure,
rcur officers are on-board; the first secretary reported
March 6. The first inter-agency meeting has been
held (membership Tab A); a'State coordination group
has held two meetings and prepared an initial inventory
of ideas (Tab B); subgroups have been organized; the
Management Committee at the white House has reviewed
the problem and commited support from all agencies
in:luding the White House itself.
Ke-: Problem Areas
F;hile additional senior and junior staff have
been assigned on Central =.m=rica, these people do
r.c. have recent experience with the problems and time
will be necessary for the- to learn issues before
output reaches high levels.
-- Preparation of a medium term game plan for El
Salvador information activities is complicated until
the election clarifies more precisely the nature of
the goverment; in this pericd support for the elections
an; faking the true nature of the guerrillas more
visible are key themes..
Ca:. The --ask Force also coordinates activities on
the CBI (Tab C).
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t
Dr a f _;:R?:J:-.P?~shne'll:tr
3/e/E2:x24734
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 TAB.
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::^_LR. STEERING GROUP: CENTR.A,L AMERICAN PUBLIC ISSJES
March 3, 1982 - 4:00 P.M.
Chai=r.an: John Bushnell
Parziciaants
JCS - Brig. Gen. Andrew Cooley
Lt. Col. Noel Widdifield
- Bing West or
Nestor Sanchez
OV? - Philip Hughes
ICF_ - Gifford Malone
Steve Dachi
AID - Rich Miller
Otto Reich
State - John Bushnell (ARA)
Mark Palmer (P)
Robert Perito (D)
Phillip Stoddard (INR)
-Jon Glassman (S/P)
Ron Godard (C)
Richard Wyrouah (ARA/CEN)
Ray Steitz (PA)
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The =c__owino suggestions are taken from the memoranda
sub-`flee subsequent to our -eeting on February 26.
:hes_ ideas and others will be she basis for discussior.
at c_r ^arci 4 meeting at ^_.^C PM (Room 6506).
Stra_a
- use events as pegs for cjr public diplomacy stratecv
Marc`: 26 elections, high-level visits (eq. by McPherson
to publicize land reform, by labor leaders or Secretary.
Dor.o.-a to focus attention on the AIFLD program and
by Lat_n American democratic leaders before elections.)
-- Get our message out to a wide variety of target
audiences (universities, foreign affairs groups, labor
and church groups, journalists, and electronic media)
through mailings and speeches.
-- Avoid obviously slanted, one-sided presentations.
Present facts, recognizing that excesses are committed
by bcth sides. Preserve our credibility.
- :e should move cautiously realizing that we are
in this for the long haul. If uncommited or unformed
opinion is stirred too suddenly it could turn on us
with the perception that El Salvador is going to be
another Vietnam debacle.
-- Closely coordinate strategy with the CBI, a constructive
policy. worth emphasizing when discussing Central America.
- xake the case that we are supporting a moderate,
reformist government; it is not the traditional ri.ght-
wing dictatorship fighting a reformist insurgency.
we support the "good guys.".
- Exploit the potential refugee problem. (Almost
all the world's refugees are fleeing communist systems
or revolutions. Cite the possibilities of refugee
influx into the US.)
-- Stress continuity between the policy of this
Administration and that of tie Carter Administration
to encourage bipartisan support.
CONFIDE::TInL
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-- Cozpare El Salvador to Poland. j. GOES will
hold elections, not possible in Poland, El Saivadoi
has a free trade union movement, effort to start one
in Poland provoked repression, etc.
Note: The various memoranda suggested numerous other
themes. These are only a sample.
-- Senior officials should be prepared to speak
out in support of the policy.
a; V.P., cabinet members and other senior officials
instructed by the White House to insert this subject
in their appearances.
b; Briefing and materials for all Department
principals, Assistant and Deputy Assistant Secretaries
on how to handle the subject in public.
c) All PA speakers or other Department officers
with speaking engagements should have material on
subject.
-- More speakers at various levels of seniority _
and expertise.
-- Concentrate several senior officers (e.g. Eagleburger,
Abrams, Enders, Holmes.) on presentations to editorial
boards.
Stable of senior credible people for speeches
for rec:c.nal media.
Within State, 15-70 senior people should be given
special preparation.
-- 100 other officers should be trained to speak
on these issues, not to be confined to ARA.
-- Need a cadre of ambassadorial-level speakers
with Latin American expertise. Bring back Hinton,
Negrocc.-,te and Quainton for 2-3 days travel in the
U.S.
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-- For near-term, concentrate ter high-level speakers
on media appearances and interviews in Washington,
also _-c:ram them for major meet-r.gs of media executives
tnis St-_'n-
S~:ec by the President or .he Secretary on democracy
in Cc.z.aI A-.erica.
I I. information
-- Sta.=_ mechanism for review of intelligence' for
ooss:b' sanitation and public e: