Records on Franco-American Relations

The materials listed in this finding aid are a selective, not necessarily all inclusive, body of documents responsive to several Bush Presidential Library FOIA requests regarding Franco-American Relations. This collection contains Bush Presidential Records, Bush Vice Presidential Records, and Quayle Vice Presidential Records from a variety of White House offices. The Bush Presidential materials consist of correspondence, schedules, participant lists, presidential remarks, press releases, and printed materials. 2 2008-0030-F Internal correspondence relates to notification of foreign travel sent to the National Security Council by various Executive Branch agencies and general administrative matters, such as preparation for meetings and travel arrangements for President Bush, Barbara Bush, and Brent Scowcroft. Correspondence from members of Congress addresses issues such as the proposed acquisition of a U.S. defense company by a French organization and U.S.-French cooperation. Correspondence with French government officials includes social exchanges, such as thank you letters and congratulatory messages; invitations to attend international events; and requests for meetings with President Bush, Barbara Bush, and Brent Scowcroft. Correspondence from private U.S. and French citizens to President Bush and to Brent Scowcroft relate to NATO, the Franco-German Corps, GATT, etc. Schedules, participant lists, and related correspondence detail the planning and organization of meetings between President Bush and French government officials, mostly President Francois Mitterrand, as well as meetings between Brent Scowcroft and various French officials. Speeches from President Bush focus on issues such as French-U.S. Cooperation and NATO. The presidential remarks include President Bush's statements to the press after various meetings with President Mitterrand and for significant events, such as the Bicentennial of Bastille Day and the Columbus Quincentennial. The printed material includes articles in U.S. magazines and French newspapers on topics such as U.S.-French nuclear relations and the Franco-German relationship. Press releases address issues such as Francois Mitterrand's decision to sign a Non-Proliferation treaty and the French Nuclear Testing Moratorium. The Bush Vice President materials consist of correspondence, briefing and trip books, speeches, and printed material. Internal correspondence includes communications between the Office of the Vice President, the Department of State, and various embassies discussing routine administrative and organizational details (such as scheduling, gift exchange, weather conditions, and press coverage) for the Vice President's travels to France and other parts of Europe, and state visits to the U.S. by French leaders. Correspondence with French government, business, and community leaders includes general social exchanges, invitations to attend international events, and requests for meetings with Vice President Bush and Barbara Bush. Briefing and trip books provide unclassified administrative information related to the Vice President and Mrs. Bush's foreign travels to France and other parts of Europe, meetings with French officials, and meetings with Americans. These books contain schedules, participant lists for dinners and other events, and press releases. Speeches from Vice President Bush consist of routine arrival and departure statements, dinner toasts, and statements to the press after meetings with foreign officials. The printed material includes articles from domestic and international newspapers on local reactions to the Vice President's visits to Europe, French-American Friendship, interviews by the Vice President with foreign press, and an interview by Francois Mitterrand with the New York Times. Transcripts of various press conferences are also included. The Quayle Vice Presidential materials consist of correspondence, trip books, and speeches. Correspondence between the Vice President, his staff, foreign embassy staff, and foreign nationals discusses foreign travel arrangements for Vice President Quayle and for Mrs. Quayle. Trip books for the Vice President's foreign travels include itineraries, Department of State country notes, scenesetters for various events, maps, participant lists, and other printed material related to countries visited. The enclosed speeches from the Vice President address issues such as the signing of Peace Corps agreements with various countries, humanitarian aid, trade development programs, the opening of a U.S. embassy, and arrival and departure speeches during his travels. 3 2008-0030-F It should be noted that many of the documents listed here have been closed for National Security classification and/or other exemptions of the Freedom of Information Act. Read less