617. Memorandum From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Komer) to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (Mann)1
Tom, I gather that we are about to decide whether to approve an export license for the sale of eight civilian Cessna aircraft to the South African Air Force. This issue is a tough one.
On the one hand, NSAM 295 on US Policy Toward South Africa calls for our arms embargo to remain in effect unless “further developments” warrant a change. On the other hand, does sale of civilian aircraft, even to the South African military amount to violation of that arms embargo?
To me the public relations disadvantages tend to outweigh the arguments that the sale is justified because it will help our balance of payments [Page 1048] or that “if the US won’t sell, someone else will.” The amount involved is minor, and the legal justifications won’t suffice to offset a likely burst of criticism at the very time when there is (a) significant South African support of the Rhodesian rebellion, (b) a Congressional hearing next month on apartheid, (c) increased racial and political repression in South Africa, (d) a decision of the ICJ adverse to South Africa anticipated in the South West Africa case, and (e) members of the OAU and UN are focussing attention on the remaining problems of racism and colonialism in Southern Africa.
The trouble caused by the reopening of the Rhodesian Information Office here in Washington shows the kind of furor which can be raised over such minor issues. I suspect the same would be the case in a Cessna sale. Wouldn’t the small advantage to our balance of payments be more than offset by widespread domestic and international criticism of the USG?
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 12–5 S AFR. Secret.↩