Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume VIII, National Security Policy

16. Notes of Secretary of State Rusk’s Daily Staff Meeting¹

Washington, February 14, 1961, 9:15 a.m.

[Here follows discussion of intelligence matters and an exhibit in Moscow.]

3. Policy Planning

Mr. McGhee said that the OCB was to be abolished and that certain of the functions of the OCB, such as interdepartmental clearances and the implementation of decisions, would in the future be supervised on a regional basis by the geographic bureaus. Mr. McGhee thought each bureau should have a planning advisor. Also, an effort will be made to draw the missions abroad more closely into the planning operation.

The Secretary came in at this point.

The Under Secretary noted that the President is anxious for the State Department to take the leadership in foreign affairs and it is up to us to use our imagination and best thinking to contribute to this. It is up to the State Department to be strong and to see to it that foreign policy is not made on a fragmented basis by various agencies. Each Assistant Secretary should arrange his schedule so that he has time to devote to planning considerations and to achieve a perspective on our current activities.²

[Here follows discussion of the economy.]

WJS

1. Source: Department of State, S/S Files: Lot 66 D 147, Secretary’s Staff Meetings. Secret. Drafted by Stoessel.
2. In a February 13 memorandum to Bowles, McGhee stated that the NSC had “decided regional and country policies formerly prepared by the Planning Board will, in the future, be the responsibility of the Department, except in cases where critical security considerations prevail. In addition, the OCB is to be abolished and the Department is in the future expected to assume responsibility for coordination and carrying out of programs and plans based on these policies.” McGhee expected that the geographical bureaus would exercise, through their planning advisers, most of the old Planning Board functions and some of the responsibility for policy implementation inherited from the OCB, but that an official at the Deputy Under Secretary level would be needed to bring about interagency coordination of policy implementation. (Ibid., S/S-NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, NSC Admin 1961)