298. Telegram From the Department of State to the White House1
199024. For Dr Brzezinski only. Fol rpt Pretoria 4238 sent Action SecState dtd 20 Aug 77.
Quote: Secret Pretoria 4238. Subject: Possible South African Nuclear Weapons Program. Ref: State 198014.2
1. I saw Brand Fourie at 10:00 and made the points contained reftel.
2. He said he could not get through to Vorster and Botha until after the caucus morning session in Cape Town, but would be sure to do so then. He was not certain how fast he could get me an answer. There are policy questions involved, he noted, and did not know how long it would take the PM to touch the necessary bases. Looking over the three affirmations requested, he expressed a personal opinion that at least some of them could be made without difficulty. He regretted that this matter had come up over a weekend when all the principal policy makers were out of town concentrating on another issue of vital importance to South Africa. He understood the problem we face at Lagos and the UN and wants to be helpful.
[Page 919]3. Fourie expressed no willingness to invite an on-site inspection of the Kalahari site. During our brief conversation he again noted that this was a secret military installation requiring the approval of military authorities. He expressed the view that “Our military no more wants foreigners prying around their secret installation than yours do.”
4. Speaking of the longer term picture, Fourie expressed concern that US–SA nuclear cooperation had fallen off during the past 3–4 years. If this cooperation had remained high, he observed, the present misunderstanding might not have arisen. Prefacing his next remarks with the observation that he was not suggesting bargaining or horsetrading, he said that it would help a great deal if the US and SA could discuss South Africa’s nuclear fuel requirements and reach some kind of an understanding. As long as you try to cut us off, he added, you must expect that we will search for other ways to satisfy our needs.
5. Fourie and I have coordinated our weekend programs so that we can expedite sending response as soon as received from Cape Town.
6. Dept pass to Bonn, London and Paris as appropriate.
Bowdler
Unquote.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables File, Africa, Box 18, 8–10/77. Secret; Sensitive; Cherokee; Immediate; Nodis. Printed from a copy that was received in the White House Situation Room.↩
- See Document 297.↩