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U.S. Department of State 93/02/05 Message to Department Employees Department of State Reorganization Secretary of State Warren Christopher Message to State Department Employees and Implementation Directive on Reorganization Washington, DC February 5, 1993 Secretary's Message to State Department Employees As I join all of you in the challenging job of shaping and directing America's foreign policy, it is clear that we must make changes in the way the State Department is organized. The organization of our Department has evolved over the years in response to unique circumstances in the international environment. We serve in a State Department that is far better organized for the decades past than for the special challenges America faces in the post-Cold War era. I want our Department to be able to deal more effectively with the new issues of critical importance to our nation's foreign policy: strengthening democratization efforts in the former Soviet Union and around the world, halting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, strengthening peace-keeping capabilities, dealing more effectively with global environmental problems, elevating our concern about the global population explosion, fighting international crime and terrorism, and penetrating new markets for American business. We cannot hope to respond to these and other new challenges unless we improve the way we deal with tough and complex problems which cut across the traditional boundaries of our bureaus. We must design creative ways to both increase the efficiency of the policy process and enhance the administration of the many programs we manage. This will mean: -- Designating five Under Secretaries together with the Deputy [Secretary] as my principal foreign policy advisers; -- Creating new focal points for key foreign policy initiatives; -- Eliminating redundancies and concentrating greater decision making responsibility within the bureaus; -- Reducing excessive layering to streamline information flow and decision making; -- Enhancing communication in all directions by asking most bureaus to report to me through a designated Under Secretary who will coordinate the activities of related bureaus and facilitate needed access to me and the Seventh Floor; and -- Creating a streamlined Office of the Secretary to provide me and the Deputy Secretary with a more effective means to receive information and make decisions. Over the past weeks, the transition has afforded us an extended opportunity to examine closely the organization of the Department in light of President Clinton's foreign policy priorities. We were not alone in this endeavor, since work was well underway by the Department's own Management Task Force "State 2000" as well as by other groups of qualified professionals. The changes I ask to be implemented emerge from what I believe is a growing consensus for change within and outside the Department. I do not seek these changes merely for the sake of change itself. When undertaking a degree of reorganization, we must be mindful that change can be disruptive. Thus, it must be carefully planned so as not to interfere with the orderly functioning of the Department. While some of the changes outlined in the attached directive can be achieved quickly by administrative action subject to congressional consultation, others will require legislation which we plan to seek in the very near future. We have initiated the process of discussion with Congress and have, thus far, received a positive reaction to our approach. There is great talent in the Department of State among those who have devoted themselves to careers of public service. President Clinton and I wish better to harness this talent so critical to the interests of our nation. We must change to do this. I am convinced that the measured changes we now undertake can enable us to deal with both the problems and opportunities of a new era in foreign policy. Secretary's Implementation Directive for Reorganization In order to implement the foreign policy priorities of the President of the United States and to more effectively and efficiently carry out the foreign policy responsibilities of the Department of State, I ask that the following changes be implemented to occur upon passage of legislation or by this directive upon completion of congressional consultations. 1. The Under Secretaries shall be the principal foreign policy advisers to the Secretary and directly in the chain of command. I wish to strengthen the role of the Under Secretaries. They shall serve as my principal foreign policy advisers and assist me and the Deputy Secretary in executing and coordinating the activities of the Department. They will be given line responsibility to manage and coordinate the operations of the bureaus which will report to them. The use of Under Secretaries as senior advisers to the Secretary should be accompanied by a realignment of the chain of command. In the future, Assistant Secretaries will report directly to the designated Under Secretary. Changes in reporting responsibility will not alter the important role of the Assistant Secretaries in the formulation of foreign policy or their access to the Office of the Secretary. The major benefits from this change are creating a better system of information flow from the bureaus to the Under Secretary and the Office of the Secretary, achieving greater efficiency in Departmental decision- making, permitting more extensive coordination of key cross-cutting issues at the bureau and Under Secretary levels, and strengthening the Under Secretaries in the interagency process. Listed elsewhere in this directive are the groupings of bureaus in specific clusters and the designated lines of reporting to specific Under Secretaries. 2. Creation of the Under Secretary for Global Affairs. I shall ask Congress to create a fifth Under Secretary for Global Affairs (G) needed to manage and redirect critical global issues now found at the heart of post-Cold War foreign policy. These issues cut across nearly every boundary of the geographic and functional bureaus. We must insure that they are given high-level attention in a new and strengthened system of Under Secretaries. The substantive concerns of the Under Secretary for Global Affairs shall reside in bureaus dealing with the environment, science, oceans policy, democracy promotion, human rights, international labor issues, refugees, population, counter- terrorism, international narcotics, and other international criminal issues. Better coordination of the programs managed by these bureaus across many agencies and departments will be a critical role for this new Under Secretary. Given the pressing need to have an Under Secretary for Global Affairs in place in the very near future, President Clinton intends to initially nominate his candidate for this post as Counselor and then have Congress reconstitute this position as the new Under Secretary. I will also ask the Congress to establish a new Counselor position at Executive Level IV, thereby maintaining the current number of Executive Level III posts in the Department. 3. Creation of three new bureaus to streamline policy and consolidate functions. I shall ask Congress to define three new bureaus derived from existing bureaus and functions in the Department to streamline the formulation of policy in these important areas and to better manage the substantial programs operated by these organizations. a. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL)--This bureau will be created by combining the current Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs and the Office of Special Assistant to the Secretary and Coordinator for Labor Affairs; the latter shall be relocated in the new bureau in a Deputy Assistant Secretary position. This bureau will provide an organizational home for initiatives and policies which promote democracy. By combining associated activities related to human rights and labor affairs, the bureau will play a major role in formulating policies designed to build and strengthen democratic institutions. The Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor will be nominated as Assistant Secretary for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs until legislation can be enacted to reconstitute and rename that position. b. Bureau of Narcotics, Terrorism, and Crime (NTC)--This bureau will be created by expanding the mandate of the Bureau for International Narcotics Matters to include counter-terrorism and international crime. The Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism will be relocated in the new bureau at the Deputy Assistant Secretary level. A new office of international crime will be created to act as a policy and coordinating office for all of the Department's activities in this area. The operational responsibility for the Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program (ATA) will be moved to the new bureau from the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, thus placing policy and implementation together. President Clinton and I place great priority on the activities encompassed by this new bureau in view of the threats posed to our nation by terrorist groups, narco-traffickers, and international criminal organizations. The Assistant Secretary for Narcotics, Terrorism, and Crime will be nominated initially as the Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics Matters until a statutory name change can be enacted. c. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM)--In order to consolidate all Departmental responsibility for refugee matters and to upgrade policy focus on refugee issues in a single bureau, I will ask Congress to create a new bureau headed by an Assistant Secretary. This bureau will also be responsible for coordinating the Department's policy on population and migration issues. The positions and functions of Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Refugee Affairs and the Bureau of Refugee Programs will be subsumed in the new bureau. The nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Affairs will be confirmed as Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Refugee Affairs and will hold that position until legislation can be enacted reconstituting and renaming the position as Assistant Secretary for PRM. 4. Rename offices in order to indicate a new policy emphasis or changed mandate. I will ask Congress to change the names of the following Departmental units: a. Under Secretary for Economic and Agricultural Affairs to be changed to Under Secretary for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs (E). This change reflects the need to underscore that this office will have as a major responsibility harnessing the assets of the Department to assist the competitive position of US companies. b. Under Secretary for International Security Affairs to be changed to Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs (A). This change reflects new arms control priorities of the Clinton Administration to deal with the heightened threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The change also recognizes that the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs will have new non-proliferation functions as a result of consolidations discussed in this directive. (The Bureau of Administration [formerly A] will be designated AD.) 5. Create an Office of Secretary of State. It is necessary to streamline and reorganize the office and functions which relate directly to the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in order to rationalize critical policy support services, to provide a framework for high-level decision making and to enable the Secretary and the Deputy to establish an operational agenda for Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and other senior officials. There is hereby established an Office of Secretary of State which consists of the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, and the Executive Secretary as well as their personal staffs. Reporting directly to the Office of the Secretary shall be: -- Ambassador-at-Large and Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for the New Independent States(S/NIS); -- The Policy Planning Staff (S/P); -- The Bureau of Legislative Affairs (H); -- The Bureau of Public Affairs (PA); -- The Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR); -- The Legal Adviser (L); -- The Chief of Protocol (CPR); -- Secretariat Staff and Operations Center (S/S); -- The Ombudsman (S/CSO); -- The Inspector General (OIG); -- The Foreign Service Grievance Board (FSG); [and] -- Equal Employment Opportunity and Civil Rights (EEOCR). The Deputy Secretary shall share major policy responsibilities with the Secretary and in the absence of the Secretary shall serve in an acting capacity. In addition, the Deputy Secretary shall: -- Coordinate the management of international affairs resources, especially on an interagency basis; -- Oversee the process of ambassadorial appointments; [and] -- Assume other tasks and responsibilities at the request of the Secretary of State, such as reviews of organizational structures. To achieve the efficient operation of the Office of the Secretary, Ambassadors-at-Large, Special Advisers, Coordinators, and independent offices hitherto reporting to the Secretary are abolished, merged with, or relocated in appropriate bureaus as set out below (to occur upon the passage of legislation or by this directive upon completion of congressional consultations). To be abolished by legislation: -- Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Refugee Affairs, with functions subsumed in the Bureau of Refugee Affairs as discussed previously; and -- Special Envoy to the Afghan Resistance. Abolished in this directive with functions relocated as indicated: -- Special Assistant to the Secretary and Coordinator for International Labor Affairs (S/IL), with functions assumed by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL); -- Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism (S/CT), with functions included in the Bureau of Narcotics, Terrorism, and Crime (NTC); -- Ambassador-at-Large and Special Adviser on Non-Proliferation Policy and Nuclear Energy Affairs (S/NP), with functions transferred to the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM); and -- Office of the Delegation to the Negotiations on Nuclear and Space Arms (S/DEL), with functions transferred to the Bureau of Political- Military Affairs (PM). 6. Creation of an Ambassador-at-Large and Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for the New Independent States (S/NIS). President Clinton has nominated an Ambassador-at-Large for the New Independent States, and this person shall also serve as Special Adviser to the Secretary of State. This new post was created to provide a high- level focal point for policy formulation and coordination of US assistance to the states that were under the control of the former Soviet Union. When confirmed, the Ambassador-at-Large will chair an interagency policy group to formulate US policy and set US program priorities for the new independent states. The Office of Independent States and Commonwealth Affairs (EUR/ISCA) shall remain in EUR [the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs], reporting directly to the Ambassador-at-Large. The task force coordinating assistance to those states (currently D/CISA) and the position of Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator shall be transferred to S/NIS and shall report directly to the Ambassador-at-Large. The Ambassador-at-Large will also provide general policy guidance to the Coordinator for Safety, Security, and Dismantling Nuclear Weapons (to become PM/SSD) and to the USAID [US Agency for International Development] Task Force for the New Independent States (AID/NIS). The task force coordinating assistance to Eastern Europe (D/EEA) shall be transferred to the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs. 7. New reporting responsibilities for Assistant Secretaries. The Department's bureaus shall report directly to the Under Secretaries as discussed previously. Set forth below are the reporting responsibilities for each Assistant Secretary: -- To the Under Secretary for Political Affairs (P)--All six regional bureaus (ARA, EUR, SA, AF, EAP, NEA) and the Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO). -- To the Under Secretary for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs (E)--The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB). -- To the Under Secretary for Global Affairs (G)--The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL); the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES); the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM); and the Bureau of Narcotics, Terrorism, and Crime (NTC). -- To the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs (A)--The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM). -- To the Under Secretary for Management (M)--The Bureau of Administration (AD), the Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA), the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), the Bureau of Financial Management and Policy (FMP), the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), and the Bureau of Personnel (PER). (Note: Further reorganization of management functions may occur after an ongoing review is completed.) 8. Functional consolidations will occur to streamline operations and improve policy focus. There are several functions which need to be moved to improve policy formulation and management in key areas. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy and Energy Technology Affairs (OES/N) and the five offices which report to this position (OES/NTS, OES/NEC, OES/NEP, OES/NSR, OES/NSC) will be relocated within the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs so as to further consolidate all activities relating to the critical issue of halting nuclear proliferation. The Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) shall retain functions in these offices relating to non-nuclear energy. Another goal is to improve the way the Department manages export controls as they are applied to commercial goods and munitions. Our interest is in preventing exports that might contribute to proliferation or to the transfer of technology that could harm US interests and in promoting legitimate exports that help American industry and the economy. In order, then, to improve the coherence, consistency, and efficiency of our efforts in the Department, we are closely reviewing our export control activities and examining alternative ways of organizing these functions, with a decision to be made in the next 2 weeks. Responsibility for international space issues is fragmented and has produced overlapping roles among the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. We will also be examining this problem over the next 2 weeks with an eye toward integrating our diplomacy for space cooperation with broader national security and foreign policy objectives. The Nuclear Risk Reduction Center shall report to the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. The Coordinator for Safety, Security, and Dismantling of Nuclear Weapons (SSD) shall be moved to the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. The US Delegation to the Open Skies Conference (T/OS) shall be abolished. There shall be created in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs an Office of Peacekeeping to assist the bureau and the Department in efforts to better plan and coordinate peacekeeping activities. There shall be created in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs an Office of Business Facilitation to serve as a key access point in the Department for the private sector as well as providing policy guidance on key issues relating to improving the competitive position of US companies in world markets. Commercial functions of the Office of Commercial, Legislative, and Public Affairs (EB/CLP) shall be transferred to this new office. The Bureau of International Communications and Information Policy (CIP) shall be merged into the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs as an office headed by a Coordinator. The rank of Ambassador associated with this post shall be discontinued. Legislation will be sought to achieve this change. International telecommunications negotiations and agreements are critical to maintaining the competitive position of this important US industry. This can best be achieved in the context of the EB bureau, which is the principal place of access for American business. The Department's interagency role in the telecommunications policy arena with the Federal Communications Commission and the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration will be strengthened by merging this office into a fully staffed bureau. There shall be created in the Department an Office for the Permanent Representative for the United Nations to support the Cabinet functions of this post and to more effectively coordinate with the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. In a time of tight budgets and increasing demands on international affairs resources, clearer priorities must be established for the International Affairs Budget Function 150 Account if Administration initiatives are to be realized. Under the direction of the Deputy Secretary, who will coordinate management of international affairs resources, the Policy Planning Staff shall provide policy guidance so that general spending priorities may be established. A deputy in S/P shall work closely with the Office of Policy and Resources (D/P&R) to link the policy planning and resource allocation processes. 9. Removing excessive layering. The number of Deputy Assistant Secretaries in the Department has grown from 46 in the 1960s to 120 today. I have asked the Under Secretaries to work with Assistant Secretaries to reduce the number of Deputy Assistant Secretaries [DASs] and DAS equivalents by about 40% and to reduce significantly the number of special assistants and other Seventh Floor staff. These reductions are designed to eliminate excessive layering, expedite clearance procedures, and strengthen the responsibilities of office directors and country directors. I have asked the Deputy Secretary to oversee the implementation of these changes in a manner consistent with the orderly functioning of the Department. In doing so, he will work with the Under Secretary for Management, who will coordinate the implementation of the directive. I have asked that all affected officials be consulted so as to achieve the changes in a timely and non-disruptive fashion. I have also asked the Deputy Secretary to conduct a review of the operations and mandate of the US Agency for International Development and to report his findings within 60 days so that we may propose to Congress a reorganization plan for this agency. Warren Christopher (###)