318. Letter From Acting Secretary of State Christopher to Representative James H. Scheuer1
Thank you for your letter2 and subsequent cable to Secretary Vance3 concerning the future role of the Department of State in population affairs. I am glad you have had the opportunity to discuss these matters with Assistant Secretary Pickering,4 and in Secretary Vance’s absence I would like to respond further to your concerns.
Secretary Vance and I share your high regard for Ambassador Green and your regret at his departure after three years of able and effective service as Coordinator of Population Affairs. We believe your assessment is entirely correct that under his leadership population issues have assumed a high importance in our foreign policy—a priority reflected in the President’s message to Congress in May of last [Page 1071] year and in the subsequent instructions sent to our Ambassadors around the world.5
This high priority will be maintained by the recent changes in the Department designed to build on Ambassador Green’s unique contributions and to strengthen the Department’s role in population policy. Ambassador Green’s successor now will have direct responsibility for the Office of Population Affairs and daily contact with Assistant Secretary Pickering, who will assume the chairmanship of the NSC Ad Hoc Working Group on Population Policy. Under Secretary Benson and I will continue to work with the new Coordinator, as we have done with Ambassador Green, to ensure that the major developments in our population policy are brought to Secretary Vance’s personal attention. I appreciate your support for these organizational improvements.
I want to reiterate, however, the Department’s view that the appointment of Dr. Richard Benedick is not a downgrading of our commitment to population policy. Dr. Benedick is a senior career diplomat with over twenty years of experience. He has worked and published in the population and development field and was strongly recommended by Ambassador Green and others for this post. He will be supported by the continued active involvement of Ambassador Green, who has agreed to remain available as a consultant.
We are confident, in short, that Dr. Benedick’s appointment and the other organizational changes I have mentioned will enable the Department to maintain its commitment to population issues as a vital part of our foreign policy. We hope to continue working closely with you and the Select Committee on Population on these issues, and would like to express our appreciation for your strong interest and involvement in this area of great importance to the future of our nation and the world.
Sincerely,
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P780166–1768. No classification marking. Vance departed Washington, D.C. on October 13 for Pretoria, South Africa, whereupon he met with South African officials to discuss problems related to Namibia.↩
- In a September 22 letter to Vance, Scheuer noted the heightened concern amongst members of the House Select Committee on Population regarding Green’s impending retirement from the Department and the proposed restructuring of OES. After highlighting Green’s contributions, both as a former Ambassador and as Coordinator of Population Affairs, Scheuer asserted: “His replacement by a middle-level Foreign Service Officer, with no experience whatever in population matters, cannot fail to convey to nations around the world the message that population is deemed by this Administration to be a less important issue than in the past. Such an appointment would represent a sharp downgrading of State Department commitment to the resolution of population problems.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P780146–2213) The House of Representatives established the Select Committee on Population in September 1977 with the intent of surveying U.S. and world population trends and evaluating U.S. population policies, as Scheuer explained in a November 21, 1977, letter to Vance. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P770181–1910)↩
- In an October 10 telegram to Vance, Scheuer requested that Vance delay the final appointment of Green’s replacement until Scheuer had an opportunity to discuss the issue with the Secretary. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P780172–1053)↩
- According to an October 18 action memorandum from Pickering to Christopher, sent through Benson, Pickering suggested that Christopher approve a response to Scheuer affirming the Department’s commitment to population affairs. Pickering also noted that he had met with Scheuer on September 25 and affirmed the “unchanged high priority attached to population,” touted the credentials of Green’s replacement Richard Benedick, commented on the close working relationship he and Benedick would have, and noted Green’s willingness to serve as a consultant on population matters (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P780166–1770)↩
- See Documents 284 and 312.↩