"Teamwork Makes the Difference"

By Strobe Talbott

In an interview with TIME Diplomatic Correspondent Strobe Talbott last week, Richard Allen, the President-elect's appointee as National Security Adviser, made these points about the new Administration's foreign policy agenda and the role he expects to have in formulating it:

On Administration Goals: We have to build confidence among the allies, restore the vitality of our intelligence community and re-create the "margin of safety" [in arms] of which the President-elect spoke during the campaign. All of this has to be done as part of a long-range strategy that the American people can understand and support.

On Military Balance: The cushion of safety that we had for 35 years clearly is no longer there. We have to take vigorous steps to restore it. President-elect Reagan is committed to that goal, and so are the American people.

On NSC Staff's Function: The objective in restructuring the NSC is to make it more effective and to give the nation a better policy[-making apparatus]. That does not mean that the NSC will be less substantive. It means that the NSC will be less prone to squabbling with other parts of the Government.

On State Department Relations: We intend that the NSC turn back to the appropriate departments and agencies the functions of formulating and implementing policy. That will make it possible for the NSC to do what it ought to be doing, which is a better job of coordination. It will also be able to think more about problems that, until now, have been inadequately considered as part of our national security: energy, trade and international economics.

On His Own Role: I see the effective performance of this job as crucial to the smooth functioning of the Reagan Administration's foreign policy, I am determined to work for the President and for the other Cabinet members. I think that we showed during the campaign that teamwork makes the difference.

On Why He Expects to Work Smoothly with Secretary of State-Designate Alexander Haig: Because I know my assignment--to coordinate effectively all the components of the national security policymaking machinery--and I know that I can carry it out.

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