Office of the Historian

155. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Clark) to President Reagan1

Washington, April 26, 1982

SUBJECT

  • Law of the Sea (LOS) Negotiations

Shortly after your briefing on the LOS negotiations,2 the Conference took some new turns. The Conference President tried Thursday3 night to pressure us to accept four amendments, that fall way below our objectives, and withdraw all our others. Otherwise, he said all the pending amendments—including those that we oppose—will be brought to a vote and possibly the convention as well.

All agencies agreed that we cannot give in to this kind of pressure. The delegation also believes that we have a good chance of blocking undesirable changes to the navigation provisions.

We are entering the “eleventh hour” of the Conference a little earlier than expected. The Conference President appears to be looking for a way to “square the circle” or how to bring the Conference to a close with a number of amendments on the table. It is not clear how he will follow through; he has already shifted ground a bit when it became clear Friday4 morning that we and some others would not withdraw amendments.

Although we decided that we would not force the convention to a vote and risk changes to the provisions we like, that decision may be taken out of our hands now since we cannot, even as a tactical matter, withdraw all our amendments and appear to “cave in” completely. Our allies are wavering in their support, as we expected they would when the Conference gets tough.

  1. Source: Reagan Library, Guhin, Michael A.: Files, 04/23/1982–4/25/1982. Secret. Sent for information. Drafted by Guhin. A stamped notation on the document reads: “The President has seen.” Reagan initialed the memorandum in the upper right-hand corner.↩
  2. No such briefing has been found, but for a reference to an April 22 Law of the Sea briefing involving Guhin and Reagan, see Document 158. According to the President’s Daily Diary, Reagan met with Clark, Armstrong, Baker, Meese, Deaver, and Guhin on April 22 from 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. (Reagan Library, President’s Daily Diary)↩
  3. April 22.↩
  4. April 23.↩