Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXX, Public Diplomacy

110. Memorandum From the Deputy Director of the United States Information Agency (Bray) to the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lake)¹

Washington, November 29, 1977

SUBJECT

• USIA Relationship with S/P

Hal Schneidman has shared with me your informal memorandum on the “USIA Slot in S/P.”

It is at considerable variance from our institutional need, which I will now present.

Our recent internal reorganization provided us with an Office of Planning and Program Direction. One of the most important functions of this office is to relate to the central elements of the U.S. foreign affairs agencies—NSC, S/P, Treasury, etc. The relations would allow us to identify the mid-and long-term policy issues that can and should be addressed by USIA’s programs of public diplomacy. We have gone to particular lengths to staff this office with some of our best people.

Each of them will have the responsibility of working with—not in—appropriate elements of the Department and other agencies so that major foreign policy issues can be “converted” into communications policy governing the programs we produce in Washington for the field, as well as those produced by our posts themselves.

Because this is a substantive function, none of these officers would be involved in the preparation of memos, speeches or press guidances for the Department’s units to which they relate (the thrust of your proposal). They will spend most of their time within USIA. They can—illustratively—assure that we initiate the kinds of research and media reaction projects that are relevant to your and our concerns. They can determine within USIA what public diplomacy programs ought to be considered to support foreign policies, as those policies are shaped.

In the case of S/P, we proposed to assign whichever of our officers you feel most comfortable with to S/P for a period of two to four weeks in order to establish the most basic knowledge of your office. Thereafter, that officer would call upon S/P as necessary and would participate in appropriate planning meetings and discussions with members of your staff. However, he would spend the vast majority of his time within USIA, as I indicated above.

I hope we can move to implement this as soon as possible. The functioning of the Office of Planning and Program Direction is vital to our mutual purposes.

If you need additional help on speeches, press guidance, memos, etc., we may be able to help with one or more officers on detail, but let’s consider that separate issue separately.

Attachment

Paper Prepared by the Director of the Policy Planning Staff (Lake)²

Washington, undated

SUBJECT

• USIA Slot on S/P

This position would provide S/P with the perspective of “public diplomacy” considerations, to be factored into the policy planning process. At the same time, it would give USIA an ongoing link to the thinking of the policy planning staff, to help in USIA advance planning.

Incumbent would be considered, and would be expected to act, as a full-time member of S/P, working under the supervision of the Director of the Staff on whatever projects seem appropriate to his particular abilities. This could include participation in the preparation of memos to the Secretary or other Department principals, speeches or press guidance papers, or any of the various other analytical studies in which S/P is involved.

He would also be expected to maintain close contact with the appropriate offices at USIA, providing them with feedback on policy trends and directions as required.

His main contribution to S/P papers would presumably be in the field of public affairs aspects of policy issues, how policies might be formulated to take better account of potential problems—or opportunities—in foreign countries. Toward this end, he would be expected to summon up whatever field reports or analysis is available to USIA that would relate to specific studies underway at S/P.

Depending on subject matter and Staff needs, the USIA incumbent would be expected to serve as co-drafter or principal drafter of papers, as well as participate in planning meetings and discussions with other members of the Staff.

1. Source: National Archives, RG 306, Office of the Director, Executive Secretariat, Secretariat Staff, Correspondence Files, 1973–1980, Entry P–104, Box 149, 7705070–7705079. No classification marking. Another copy of the memorandum indicates that it was drafted by Alan Carter, edited by Bray, and cleared in draft by Schneidman. (Ibid.) According to Read’s December 28 memorandum to Christopher (see Document 118)S/P and USIA subsequently agreed that USIA would assign officers on non-reimbursable detail to S/P.
2. No classification marking.