Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XII, American Republics

67. USIA News Policy Note¹

40-63

Washington, October 25, 1963.

IA-ECOSOC Meeting in Sao Paulo

The Inter-American Economic and Social Council’s conference at Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 29-November 15, will be the second Annual Review Meeting of Alliance for Progress members. Expert-level sessions are scheduled October 29-November 10; ministerial sessions, November 11-15.

Treatment

We want coverage to show that Alliance for Progress has made a good beginning—but only a beginning—toward its long-range goals of economic progress and social reform. As evidence, cite AFP achievements and firm AFP plans and projects which member countries report. Points for emphasis:

(1) The Alliance for Progress is a multilateral effort of twenty American nations. Its success depends primarily on the nineteen Latin American members. It is not a U.S. aid program.

(2) The Alliance’s Charter (of Punta del Este) calls for the processes of national growth, governmental evolution and social reform to move forward together, simultaneously.

(3) The United States welcomes Latin American initiative in proposing a Committee for International Development (CID) which would function as a full-time IA-ECOSOC sub-committee to strengthen AFP programs.

(4) The United States is meeting its obligations under the Charter of Punta del Este. In 1961-62, U.S. economic assistance commitments to Latin America amounted to $1,038,000,000—$4.82 for each Latin American. In the same period Latin America’s share of the total U.S. foreign assistance budget was twenty-five per cent—as compared with seven per cent for the period 1946-60. (See U.S. Report to the Inter-American Economic and Social Council, 1963.)

Caution: The Latin American countries are seeking a common position on control of commodity prices, specifically for coffee, cocoa and tin. They may attempt at Sao Paulo to enlist U.S. support. The U.S. attitude is one of sympathy and cooperation in the problems of trade and commodity prices, but it is unlikely that the U.S. delegation will be drawn into a definite position at this conference. Official U.S. statements should guide us in whatever minimal treatment of the subject credibility may require.

Background

This year’s IA-ECOSOC meeting is expected to develop a modest amount of evidence indicating effective beginnings of the Alliance for Progress—more signs of progress than were available at last year’s sessions in Mexico City. However, the U.S. wants to keep these in the perspective of “a good beginning.”

In evidence of that “good beginning” will be such steps as institutional, agricultural and industrial development, economic stabilization, and integration, private enterprise development (domestic and foreign), fiscal reform, commodity markets and expanded trade opportunities, and improvements in AFP planning and administration.

Ex-President Lleras Camargo of Colombia and Ex-President Kubitschek of Brazil have recommended establishment of a Committee for Inter-American Development. The U.S. will support the recommendation if the Latin American countries on their own initiative evince a strong majority desire for CID. The committee would operate full-time to provide a continuing review and coordination of Alliance activities. It would include representatives from all AFP member countries of the Alliance, with a seven-man executive committee on which the United States would be represented at all times. The other six memberships would rotate among the Latin American countries.

1. Source: Kennedy Library, Schlesinger Papers, Writings—Alliance for Progress, 1963 Memoranda. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Needham. Sent by Pauker to Clarke, Sayles, Vogel, LeClair, and Ehrman.