647. Letter From the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Nitze) to the Under Secretary of State (Katzenbach)1
Dear Nick:
Attached is a memorandum from the Joint Chiefs of Staff2 expressing (i) their concern with the drift of U.S. policy toward disengagement [Page 1090] with South Africa, (ii) the importance of relaxing restrictions which now prohibit U.S. Navy and MSTS ships from making operational and maintenance stops at South African ports, and (iii) [2 lines of source text not declassified].
The JCS comment points to the need, to which we have both previously agreed, for the urgent completion of the interagency review of U.S. policy to South Africa which was started last February. I understand that under present schedule the redraft of the National Policy Paper on Southern Africa circulated last May may not be ready for interagency consideration until mid-December at the earliest,3 and that consideration is being given to broadening the paper to include Malawi and Zambia. I would hope that the review could overcome further delays and suggest that we might wish to set a target date of 15 December 1967 for completion of interagency review. If it is unrealistic to expect completion of agency review by that time, I suggest that we take an immediate look at the present interim policy regarding ship stops in South Africa.
Sincerely,
- Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 71 A 4546, South Africa, 333—452.1, 1967. Secret.↩
- JCSM–525–67, September 26; not printed.↩
- See Document 409.↩