Office of the Historian

92. Memorandum of Conversation1

Washington, March 18, 1987

The President’s Meeting with Secretary Shultz and Howard Baker

[Omitted here are discussions not related to human rights.]

4. Focus on human rights in Moscow.2

Before going consult w/human rights organizations & Jewish Community.3

[Page 273]

Will develop public diplomacy and private efforts before we go.4

Our policy working; consistent but not shouting.

Want Sovs to comply w/Helsinki acts.

During mtg I would:

1) Acknowledge progress, but long way to go.

2) Want to have them make divided family cases routine. Want unconditional release of political prisoners.

3) Push for unrestricted emigration.

Want to move HR discussion into new areas.

1) Jamming and communications.

2) More media appearances.

3) Access thru telephone & mail.

4) Religion. 1/3 prisoners are for religious reasons.

5) Reinforce commitment to regular forum for US–Sov. dialogue on human rights.

Bait to use.

Trade & Economics. Not linked, but mentioned in same breath.

Gob. pushing for openness. Open society will be necessary for them, & is consistent w/human rights. If treat people decently could unrestrict emmigration & people wouldn’t leave.5

P. Sounds good.

Useful to know when agreeable to have Gob. visit here.6

  1. Source: Reagan Library, Carlucci Files, Secretary Shultz (03/13/1987–04/15/1987). No classification marking.↩
  2. Reference is to Shultz’s April 13–15 visit to Moscow.↩
  3. In telegram 108751 to Moscow, Leningrad, and Tel Aviv, April 10, the Department provided a summary of the April 7 meeting between Shultz and Morris Abram, Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, during which they discussed Abram’s trip to the Soviet Union and Shultz’s upcoming trip to Moscow. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D870593–0563)↩
  4. In telegram 4784 from Moscow, March 31, the Embassy outlined the media strategy for Shultz’s visit. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D870247–0014)↩
  5. The minutes of a March 18 Policy Review Group meeting, during which Ridgway stressed a four-element agenda of arms reduction, regional conflict, human rights, and bilateral issues for Shultz’s visit, is in Foreign Relations, 1981–1988, vol. VI, Soviet Union, October 1986–January 1989, Document 24. In telegram 6022 from the Secretary’s Delegation in the Soviet Union, April 15, Shultz transmitted an account of his meeting with Gorbachev. Shultz stated: “On human rights, I challenged him to step up to freedom for Soviet Jews. He cited increased emigration figures to me and said they would continue to consider and work on humanitarian issues. But when I raised Jewish rights here he got hot under the collar about interference in internal affairs before he broke off.” (Department of State, Soviet Union, 1958–1984, Lot 90D438, Shultz-Shevardnadze April, 1987)↩
  6. Gorbachev visited Washington December 8–10, 1987.↩