302. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Soviet Union1
200246. Subject: Dobrynin Informed About South African Assurances.
1. I called in Dobrynin August 22 and gave him the following oral statement regarding the South African nuclear problem:
(Begin text)
Against the background of the exchange of correspondence between President Brezhnev and President Carter, we want your government to know about the results thus far of our discussions with the South African Government on the question of nuclear testing.
It is our firm determination to prevent the spread of nuclear explosives anywhere in the world, and we would view with the gravest [Page 923] concern the introduction of nuclear explosives into the already tense situation in Southern Africa.
In this context, we have sought and received firm assurances from the South African Government to the following effect:2
(1) South Africa does not have or intend to develop nuclear explosives for any purpose, peaceful or otherwise;
(2) That there will be no nuclear explosive testing of any kind in South Africa.
While we believe these assurances are important as a first step, longer range measures are also important. We will intensify our efforts to persuade the South African Government to place all its nuclear facilities under full international safeguards and to declare its intention to sign the NPT.
(End text)
2. Dobrynin commented that the assurances were a first step in the right direction.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840076–0450. Secret; Cherokee; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Mark J. Garrison (EUR/SOV); cleared in S/S; approved by Christopher.↩
- See Document 299.↩