Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XIX, South Asia

204. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter¹

Washington, October 10, 1980

SUBJECT

• Daily Report

Information

India May Reprocess: An intelligence report indicates that India plans to begin reprocessing Tarapur fuel in the near future.² State has checked with our mission at the IAEA and discovered that the agency has completed negotiation of a “facility attachment” for the reprocessing plant at Tarapur, and was on the verge of notifying the Indian government that it had entered into force. A facility attachment is the detailed agreement specifying how safeguards will be applied. IAEA has agreed to hold up the letter momentarily, but Ambassador Kirk thinks it unlikely we can turn it off. (S)

The Indians can use this as a legal basis for proceeding to reprocess with or without U.S. consent. The 1963 agreement provides that they can only reprocess U.S. fuel after a joint determination “that safeguards can effectively be applied.” They will argue that the IAEA has so found, and that U.S. refusal to make the determination is arbitrary and beyond the intent of the 1963 agreement.³ (S)

The immediate problem is to avoid a leak of the Indian intent to reprocess until after November 4. We probably can’t hold the IAEA letter that long, and if it became known that we tried, the political cost would be heavy. State will try to get Gonsalves to do nothing until he arrives here on October 27. We will have to lean very hard on the Indians to avoid a disaster before the election. (S)

However, even if we can hold off that long, it looks like we will be forced to choose between acquiescing or seeing them go ahead over our objections. We have to object. Even if we do, the Indians are probably determined to punish us for our efforts on Tarapur fuel.⁴ (S)

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Daily CIA Brief File, Box 31, 10/10/80–10/14/80. Secret; Sensitive. Printed from an uninitialed copy. Carter wrote “Zbig, C” at the top of the memorandum.
2. See Document 203.
3. In the left-hand margin next to this and the previous paragraph, Carter wrote: “See me when I return Fri.” On Friday, October 10, Carter returned from Florida and met with Brzezinski at 4:10 p.m. in the Cabinet Room. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials, President’s Daily Diary)
4. In the left-hand margin next to this and the previous paragraph, Carter wrote: “It may be better to publicize the info.”