Lister's Style
|
| |
|
George Lister was an anomaly within the State Department. Although for much of Lister's career his day-to-day tasks were probably similar to those of his colleagues, his approach to his job was unique.
Former Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs William D. Rogers recently described Lister as ''an anti-bureaucrat.'' Lister was someone willing to challenge the State Department's policies and orthodoxy. His independence won him both admiration and criticism, and, at several points, nearly cost him his job. Lister's maverick qualities were less marked, however, when dealing with the outside world. As a diplomat, he worked hard to defend and explain U.S. policy and interests.
Read More...
Selected Documents:
-
Correspondence from Lister to Averell Harriman Undated (around 1963) on Lister's goal to become a "global anticommunist activist" (1 page)
-
Correspondence from Lister to Ambassador Benjamin Stephansky November 8, 1963 on the "anticommunist activist approach" (1 page)
-
Correspondence from Lister to Unknown July 29, 1965 on Lister's job in the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs (1 page)
-
Correspondence from Unknown June 2, 1966 on Lister's performance in the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs (3 pages)
-
Correspondence from Lister to Ambassador Lincoln Gordon June 8, 1966 on establishing a center to award prizes to Latin American intellectuals (3 pages)
-
Correspondence from Lister to Harry Shlaudeman Jan 5, 1977 on Gabriel Garcia Marquez and visa policy (1 page) and attachments of Dec 26, 1976 Washington Post article by Joanne Omang "A Message from Garcia About Television" (2 pages)
-
Correspondence from Lister to Elliott Abrams Aug 10, 1983 on "Tom Harkin on our Chile Policy" (2 pages) with attachments of Tom Harkin's July 29, 1983 statement inserted into the Congressional Record (1 page) and correspondence from Lister to Elliott Abrams July 15, 1983 on USG: Chile (1 page)
-
Correspondence from Lister to Paula Dobrianksy Nov 2, 1987 on "Human Rights Day: 1987" (2 pages) with attached White House memorandum on "Proposed Human Right Day Proclamation Signing Ceremony," Dec 10, 1987 (1 page) and correspondence from Lister to Ambassador Schifter Dec 16, 1986 on "1986 Human Rights Day: An Evaluation" (3 pages)
-
Correspondence from Lister to John Shattuck June 24, 1993 on "Human Rights Work" (3 pages)
-
Correspondence from Stephen A. Schlaikjer, Director, Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs, State Department, July 21, 2000 (1 page)
-
Correspondence from Lister to Elliott Abrams Jan 5, 1982 on New York January 6 Trip (1 page) with attached correspondence from Elliott Abrams to Lister Jan 4, 1982 on Trip to New York January 6, meeting with the International Commission of Jurists and Helsinki Watch Committee (1 page)
-
Correspondence from Lister to Elliott Abrams Sept 27, 1983 on "Yesterday's NGO Meeting" including Routing Slip (2 pages)
-
Correspondence from Lister to Dick Schifter Oct 8, 1986 on "Amnesty International Panel" (1 page) with attachments of Routing Slip Oct 7, 1986 from Lister to Dick Schifter (1 page) correspondence from Paul Koloc, Group Coordinator of Amnesty International of Maryland to Lister, Oct 1, 1986 on Amnesty's panel discussion on human rights in Chile (1 page)
-
Correspondence from Kathleen Conley, Chair, El Salvador Parish-to-Parish Committee to Lister Jan 31, 1994 on meeting with their delegation and explaining the U.S. human rights policy (1 page)
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
