Secretary George ShultzA Message from Secretary of State George Shultz I support and commend the work of the Secretary's Open Forum. Now in its sixteenth year, the Open Forum through its varied programs has fostered openness and free expression of views among foreign policy professionals and thus contributed to the shaping and strengthening of our foreign policy consensus. It has provided you with an independent, in-house channel in which discussion, debate and dissent can take place outside normal bureaucratic and political constraints. For me and my senior advisors, it is a source for ideas, a challenge to consider new policies or re-examine existing ones. Clearly, we all benefit from the existence of the Open Forum. The continued success of the Secretary's Open Forum is dependent upon the energy, creativity and interest of our community. I hope that all of you will continue to look to the Open Forum as a means by which innovative thinking, including thoughtful dissent, can be brought to our attention. [end] |
