148. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to Secretary of State Vance and Secretary of Defense Brown1
SUBJECT
- Arms Sales to Taiwan
The President has decided to approve the request from the Republic of China to co-produce an additional 48 F–5E aircraft, the sale of 500 Maverick Missiles (AGM65A) with 48 modification kits and 100 launchers to the Republic of China, and the sale of 400 laser-guided bomb kits and 29 laser designation kits.
In addition, the President has instructed that when the State Department informs the Republic of China of these decisions, it should also inform the ROC that we would consider favorably a request for additional F–5Es, that we have given our approval for Israeli sale of the Kfir aircraft to the ROC, and that the U.S. Government has not made a decision to authorize creation of a follow-on aircraft to the F–5E.
A copy of David Newsom’s memorandum is attached.2 Please note the President’s decision to defer a decision on item 2.
Dissemination of this decision should be carefully restricted until State informs appropriate Congressmen and conveys the decisions to the Republic of China.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Global Issues, Matthews Subject File, Box 3, Arms Sales: Taiwan (Aircraft): 9–11/78. Secret; Sensitive. The first page is stamped, “JTM has seen.”↩
- Attached; printed as Tab A to Document 147.↩