Overview

The editors selected only the most important reports from diplomatic posts, particularly those containing records of multilateral international conferences on economic subjects and significant conversations held with foreign leaders and their diplomatic representatives on economic issues. Details of military and economic assistance programs for specific nations or their implementation are not included.

The major topics and issues the editors sought to cover in volume IX are as follows:

1. Struggle for foreign economic and military assistance funding with Congress.

2. Initiatives on private investment in international development.

3. Promotion of U.S. international development goals in multilateral forums.

4. Growing attention given to the world food crisis.

5. Disposal of the surplus of the U.S. stockpile of strategic materials.

6. Efforts to negotiate multilateral agreements regarding international trade in agricultural commodities.

7. Interagency debate over liberalization of U.S. trade control criteria vis-a-vis the Sino-Soviet bloc.