Statement from President Carter on the Passing of Zbigniew Brzezinski

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Deanna.Congileo@cartercenter.org

Rosalynn and I are saddened by the death of Zbigniew Brzezinski.  He was an important part of our lives for more than four decades and was a superb public servant.

Having studied Zbig’s impressive background and his scholarly and political writings, I called on him to advise me on foreign policy issues during my first presidential campaign.  I liked him immediately, and we developed an excellent personal relationship.  He was inquisitive, innovative, and a natural choice as my national security advisor when I became president.  He helped me set vital foreign policy goals, was a source of stimulation for the departments of defense and state, and everyone valued his opinion.  He played an essential role in all the key foreign policy events of my administration, including normalization of relations with China, signing of the SALT II treaty, brokering the Camp David Accords, and the Panama Canal treaties, among others. He was brilliant, dedicated, and loyal, and remained a close advisor to my work at The Carter Center. I will miss him.

We send our deepest sympathy to Zbig’s family during this time of loss.