Office of the Historian

87. Editorial Note

At a high-level meeting of the Development Assistance Committee in Paris July 23–24, 1964, Deputy AID Administrator William Gaud headed the U.S. delegation in the absence of AID Director David E. Bell, who was in Washington that week to testify on the foreign assistance bill before the Senate Appropriations Committee and to guide the foreign assistance authorization bill, which was to be debated on the Senate floor. (Telegram 185 to Bonn, July 20; Department of State, Central Files, AID 1)

According to an overall position paper drafted on July 18 in preparation for this meeting, the U.S. delegation was to promote five goals for priority consideration as follows:

  • “a. For reaching agreements around the turn of the year.
    • “(1) Requirements for and supply of aid, including standards of self-help and performance as well as contributions by donor governments.
    • “(2) Terms of aid, indebtedness of LDC’s, and supplier credits, including implementation of the Terms of Aid Resolution, control of supplier credits, and rescheduling of debt in particular cases.
    • “(3) Groups to relate aid programs for individual developing countries, including ways of increasing the effectiveness of existing groups and criteria for establishing new ones.
  • “b. For continuing work.
    • “(4) Improving Technical Assistance.
    • “(5) Collective approach to development issues arising in the United Nations.” (Washington National Records Center, RG 286, DAC Material: FRC 70 A 5922, DAC High Level Meeting, Paris 1964, Briefing Book)

The agenda, additional discussion papers, and DAC Chairman Willard L. Thorp’s draft report of July 10 (DAC(64)21 (1st Revision)) are ibid. Gaud’s statement at the meeting (DAC(64)28, August 14) is ibid., RG 286, AID Administrator Files: FRC 68 A 2148, PRM 7–1, Development Assistance Committee, FY 1965. A detailed summary of the July 23–24 meeting is in CEDTO A–76 from Paris, August 1. (Department of State, Central Files, AID 1) For a summary of agreements reached at the meeting, see Document 89.

For a DAC press communique issued at the conclusion of the meeting, see Document 88. For text of John C. Bullitt’s notes at this meeting, see Document 90.