7 Authority @Gy 2 i tk n 5me@%3 20520 SECRET Ja uary 9 1980 MEMORANDUM TO OBS Mr Pickering AF - Mr Keeley IO Mr Bridges - Mr Gallucci Mr Humphreys Mr Salmon FROM Allen w Locke x SUBJECT Secretary s Views on South African Nuclear Situation I have prepared the attached recorc of the Secretary's Views on South Africa on the basis of discussions with Arnie Raphel Attachment As Stated SECRET DECLASSHHED AuthorityM SECRET Secretary's Views on South African Nuclear Situation 1 Handling the Press Report Secretary agrees with Smith Ref Smith memo to the Secretary January 8 1980 t hat we should release the Conclusions of the Press panel to the public and share the report to the degree possible with allies 2 Relations with South Africa Secretary agrees with Smith that we should make an attempt to reach a nuclear settlement with South Africa With respect to assurances it would be satisfactory if the US were to make clear to the South Africans that We were proceeding on the basis of our understanding of South Africa's nuclear policy that the Vorster assurances remain in effect and the South Africans did not take exception to that understanding 3 UN Sanctions The Secretary agrees that the US should support some kind of UN sanctions if there is no progress with South Africa on the nuclear issue A Timing The Secretary is of the view that we cannot put off the question of sanctions indefinitely but that we should see how discussions with South Africa are going and how the Namibia and other relevant situations stand before deciding to go for sanctions The sanctions question must be approached in the broad context of our dealings with South Africa rather than in the more narrow nuclear context B Options Before we discuss sanctions with others we should be sure what options are available and what are their relative merits general sanctions as opposed to purely nuclear conditional vs unconditional voluntary vs mandatory etc This does not preclude consulting with allies such as the UK and France to determine their views but the Secretary should be informed in advance of such consultations