The most serious constraint on U.S. policymaking is the lack of knowledge about the dimensions of the real and potential restraints on transborder data flows. To make progress, we will: identify existing and potential restraints on transborder data flows; assess the impacts of these restraints on our companies and on our overall economic and foreign policy interests; and establish priorities on issues most affecting U.S. interests. The Task Force will be preparing specific policy recommendations responding to these questions by June 1979.

VI. DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATIONS

BACKGROUND

Communications systems are a crucial part of the economic and Social infrastructure of modern nations; developing countries need technical assistance both to modernize their internal communications systems and to establish links with global and possibly regional systems. In the words of the UNESCO Director General: "If the improvement of the means of communication between peoples tends to become a major subject of preoccupation, it is because communication has very rapidly been perceived to be coextensive with all aspects of development, of which it is a strategic factor." The United States is thus giving increased attention to development communications, as indicated, for example in Ambassador Reinhardt's statement to the UNESCO General Conference, discussed at pages 9-10.

U.S. COMMUNICATIONS AID

United States assistance to Third World communications has come either through bilateral channels-AID, ICA, ExIm Bank-or via multilateral channels-World Bank, regional international banks and U.N. functional agencies such as UNESCO.

Bilateral communications aid

Bilateral aid for communications through AID totaled $27 million. in fiscal year 1978. Of this sum, $12 million was in Development Assistance Programs (1 percent of the Development Assistance Budget) and $15 million in Supporting Assistance, largely for Egypt. In fiscal year 1979, AID communications funding is expected to increase appreciably, to a total of between $35-$40 million, with Development Assistance funds accounting for $15 to $20 million.

In recent years, Congressional and AID emphasis on "new Directions" and on "basic human needs" has imposed some constraint on efforts to assist developing nations to modernize communications. The extent of this constraint should not, however, be overstated since communications assistance can provide important support for "basic human needs" objectives.

AID, operating from the view that communications should support programs in its basic human needs sectors, does not have a separate communications budget. AID programs are largely in support of innovative "software" development and utilization activities.

AID's activities have included technical assistance in the use of local mass media for basic education, family planning, nutrition, and agriculture; training in communications strategies; and substantial R&D pilot projects designed to improve radio and television programming for mass education. AID has also been involved in short-term communications satellite demonstrations and evaluations with a number of countries, and is considering a broader satellite program, discussed at page 9. In recent years, little assistance has gone to basic telecommunication infrastructure (though the ExIm Bank has supported such projects), except in the Supporting Assistance countries, which are primarily in the Middle East and Southern Africa.

ICA's communications-related exchange programs have accounted for about $1.2 million of its $373 million annual budget. About 3.8 percent of ExIm Bank's annual loans have been communications related, mostly for purchases of telecommunications equipment. This includes $145 million for satellite earth stations for twenty-four countries.

Reimbursable technical assistance

AID's reimbursable technical assistance program offers a channel for assisting upper tier and middle income developing countries which can afford to purchase communications systems (and related training), but which require technical assistance in identifying specific needs, determining feasibility, and weighing alternatives. To assist in this process, AID finances and makes available U.S. technical teams to help clarify and define development requirements or projects specifications, and to advise on the kinds and sources of applicable U.S. technology.

Communications has been among the areas of greatest demand for reimbursable technical assistance. In view of the influential role upper tier and middle income developing countries can play in influencing positions of the Third World on various communications issues, reimbursable technical assistance may be an especially valuable tool in developing more effective relationships with the United States and encouraging broader understanding of differing points of view. Multilateral communications aid

The World Bank and its International Development Agency (IDA) have made communications expenditures averaging $82 million per year, primarily for long-distance lines, subscriber equipment, satel lite terminals, and general telecommunications expansion. Both the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank are now considering support for communications in rural areas.

The north/south aspect

Expanded aid to communications will contribute generally to the climate of our several upcoming communications negotiations. Political benefits do not themselves justify launching a major aid program, but here there is ample justification on the merits. Delegations involved in communications issues are fully briefed on AID or ICA efforts in the communication field.

POLICY/OBJECTIVES

Our objectives in providing communications assistance are:

1. To assist developing nations expand their capacity to utilize effectively communications technology to meet basic human needs objectives.

2. To help developing nations strengthen indigenous communication and information systems.

3. To strengthen the ties between communications leaders and institutions in the United States and their counterparts abroad.

4. To expand foreign markets for U.S. communications expertise and products.

5. To demonstrate to developing nations the potential benefits of satellite communications.

6. To speed the modernization of communications structure in developing countries, and thus relieve the pressure on crowed radio frequency bands important to the United States.

7. To enlist the aid of other industrialized countries in the overall effort to help developing countries meet their communications needs.

SECTION 603

INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISTIC FREEDOM

INTRODUCTION

This report, submitted to the Congress pursuant to section 603 of Public Law 95-426, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1979, describes U.S. Government efforts internationally to safeguard the rights of journalists. The principal focus of this effort was our preparation for and participation in the recent UNESCO General Conference which adopted by consensus a mass media declaration affirming that "journalists must have freedom to report and the fullest. possible facilities of access to information." Based upon the mass media declaration, the Department of State also made a concerted effort with individual foreign nations worldwide to convey U.S. concerns with interference with the rights of journalists.

I. MULTILATERAL EFFORTS THE UNESCO GENERAL CONFERENCE

On the Final Day of the UNESCO General Conference (GC) 20th Session, the U.S. Delegation joined in consensus adoption of a declaration on the media's contribution to peace and understanding, promotion of human rights and countering racism, apartheid, and incitement to war. The text as adopted represented a remarkable turnaround from earlier versions. It not only removed those clauses calling for state control of the media, but added others guaranteeing freedom of information as essential to human rights and the right of journalists to freely report the news, as in Article II: (See Annex for full text)

"1. The exercise of freedom of opinion, expression and information, recognized as an integral part of human rights and fundamental freedoms, is a vital factor in the strengthening of peace and international understanding.

"2. Access by the public to information should be guaranteed by the diversity of the sources and means of information available to it, thus enabling each individual to check the accuracy of facts and to appraise events objectively. To this end, journalists must have freedom to report and the fullest possible facilities of access to information. Similarly, it is important that the mass media be responsive to concerns of peoples and individuals, thus promoting the participation of the public in the elaboration of information.

"3. With a view to the strengthening of peace and international understanding, to promoting human rights and to countering racialism, apartheid and incitement to war, the mass media throughout the world, by reason of their role, contribute effectively to promoting human rights, in particular by giving expression to oppressed peoples

who struggle against colonialism, neo-colonialism, foreign occupation and all forms of racial discrimination and oppression and who are unable to make their voices heard within their own territories."

The original draft of the UNESCO Declaration on Mass Media Principles which was on the agenda of the 20th session of the General Conference (Paris, October 24-November 28) posed a serious threat to global journalistic freedom. The draft was the outgrowth of 1972 Soviet-sponsored resolution which had sought to "use" the media to promote peace and international understanding and to fight against war propaganda and racism. The idea of using the media as a tool of official policy implied the authority of the state or international community over the media and thus undermined the entire principle of press freedom and independence.

The draft declaration had gone through several versions over the years, all of them unacceptable to the United States and others that valued freedom of expression. (The item had been postponed in the 18th and 19th sessions of the General Conference.) A new text which had been drafted for the 20th session was likewise unacceptable.

Although the declaration would be non-binding upon Member States, we feared that endorsement of such a document by one of the United Nations' specialized agencies would give encouragement to those countries inclined to impose restrictions on journalistic freedom and thus set the stage for legitimizing such restrictions. The principal U.S. objections which were spelled out were:

-The draft declaration explicitly endorsed state control of the media, including informational content:

-Several rights enumerated in the draft were conditioned upon adherence to certain standards of practices;

-Several provisions supported the view that the media should not distribute dissenting views on certain subjects;

-Insufficient weight was devoted to the value of competing and critical information;

-Insufficient attention was given to the duties of states to protect and facilitate the free flow of information;

-It suggested that duties and responsibilities can or should be imposed on the mass media and journalists.

EARLY PREPARATION FOR 20TH GENERAL CONFERENCE

Prior to the 1976 General Conference in Nairobi, the Department of State in cooperation with the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO had established a working relationship with key members of the U.S. media community in order to coordinate positions and strategy for confronting the challenge that this issue represented. This effort was expanded and strengthened after Nairobi and a close partnership developed, involving not only frequent contacts with Department officers but periodic meetings with the Secretary of State and the Deputy Secretary on substantive policy questions. These consultations led to the nomination of a prominent publisher, recommended by the media community, to the UNESCO General Conference Delegation.