59. Memorandum of conversation, June 8, between President Kennedy and Ambassador Freeman1
SUBJECT
- Report to the President on Colombia
PARTICIPANTS
- The President
- Fulton Freeman, U.S. Ambassador to Colombia
- Taylor G. Belcher, ARA/WST
Ambassador Freeman told the President that he had hoped to report to him on events in one country where the Alliance for Progress was really moving forward. He said that the press was giving excellent treatment to the Alliance program and that Government officials as well as the U.S. business community were fully behind it.
With regard to the business community, Ambassador Freeman showed the President a newspaper advertisement, carrying the Alianza “torch” seal, highlighting some of the activities of the U.S.-owned oil companies in the field of education. Entitled “Cooperating with the Alliance for Progress”, it gave details and pictures of new buildings and classrooms provided by the companies. The President asked whether this sort of activity on the part of American business firms in Colombia was widespread and what sort of coordination there was in this effort. The Ambassador said the American business community, particularly in the capital, was well coordinated and was very interested in contributing as much as possible to the success of the Alianza. After the Ambassador described the nature of his monthly briefing at the Embassy residence for leaders of the U.S. community, the President requested that he be furnished a report on the efforts of the other [Typeset Page 147] Embassies to coordinate the activities of the U.S. business community in the context of the Alliance. He also suggested that the clipping which the Ambassador had be shown to the Grace Committee so that it might serve as an example to be used by other firms in other countries.
[Facsimile Page 2]The President said that this example of “impact” projects by private American companies was what the Alliance as a whole needed. He wished it could have a similar meaning for the average person in Latin America. He referred to the meeting held last week with senior officials of the Department regarding the need for projects which the people could see and touch and in which they could appreciate the direct benefit to them. Airports, roads, power projects, etc., were important but there was little direct impact on the people and this was what was needed for the immediate future.
Mr. Belcher mentioned the Cyprus-American grain relief program as an excellent example of a program which had an impact in every one of the 800 villages on the island. The President inquired regarding the means whereby this program was carried out and was informed that it had been done with PL 480 funds in cooperation with the local government.
The President asked how the OAS Committee on Cultural Affairs and Public Information was progressing. Ambassador Freeman said that Colombia was being used as a pilot project and that the organizational work was well in hand in Bogota with former Foreign Minister Turbay heading the group. The President also inquired regarding the activities of the Grace Committee and asked that he be given a report by Ambassador Morrison or Mr. Moscoso on progress in coordinating the activities of the U.S. business and trade union communities with the Alliance for Progress.
- Alliance for Progress results in Colombia. Official Use Only. 2 pp. DOS, Presidential Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 66 D 149.↩