Office of the Historian

34. Memorandum From the Director of the United States Information Agency (Reinhardt) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, April 14, 1977

SUBJECT

  • Letter of March 31, 1977, from Leonard Marks to Dr. Brzezinski2

We have read with interest Leonard Marks’ letter of March 31, 1977, and share his view that we should continue to look for ways to expand contacts with the Soviet Union and the countries of Eastern Europe. We agree that it would be useful for the United States to spell [Page 92] out ideas on this subject at a suitable level and at the right political moment.

Of the three specific suggestions in the letter, two relate to State/CU; however, USIA would be responsible for implementing all three in the field.

—Sister City exchanges are useful, but we do not ascribe to them a particularly high priority. We agree that they are best handled through private channels with appropriate government consultation and facilitative assistance.

—We concur that direct private exchanges should be encouraged. To a considerable extent, our officers in Eastern Europe already play an active catalytic role in bringing local and American institutions together. Since private exchanges in Communist countries go through government channels, USG assistance is not only helpful, it is essential. The immense value of exchanges argues for an increase in government funded programs as well. USIA would welcome and strongly support an increase in this area.

—USIA does not directly operate book stores. In some cases, we have indirectly been involved in book sales, particularly through binational centers in Latin America. There exist legal and other impediments to government operation of book stores, but such obstacles could probably be overcome if the opportunities offered merited the effort. We understand that the Department, after exploratory talks with our NATO allies, has decided not to raise the subject of book stores at the forthcoming CSCE preparatory conference,3 although we gather that progress on implementation of the section of the final CSCE accord relating to the availability of books will be reviewed. Assuming that we keep to this scenario, it might be useful to reexamine the book store question following the June conference in Belgrade.

  1. Source: National Archives, RG 306, Office of the Director, Executive Secretariat, Secretariat Staff, Correspondence Files, 1973–1980, Entry P–104, Box 116, 7701020–7701029. Confidential. Drafted by Lederer; edited by Shirley; cleared in I/SS; approved by Reinhardt. A copy was sent to Vance. According to a notation in an unidentified hand, the copy was hand-carried to the Department of State on April 15.↩
  2. See Document 31.↩
  3. See footnote 2, Document 13.↩