Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXI, Africa

415. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy) to Secretary of State Rusk⁰

Washington, September 23, 1963.

The President has approved the Secretary of State’s recommendation of August 28¹ to continue after the end of this year to license the sale of spare parts of C-130s sold to the South African Government.

With respect to possible sale of submarines to South Africa the President has approved recommendation B of the joint State-Defense memorandum of September 16² but with these specific limitations:

(a) It should be made clear to the South Africans that any informal discussions held during the balance of this year are to be strictly confidential and involve no implied commitment to sell, and,

(b) The US can make no decision before the end of this year regarding sales and any eventual decision will be taken in the light of circumstances at the time the question is considered, under our policy stated in the UN Security Council in August.

McGeorge Bundy

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 12-5 S AFR. Secret. Also sent to Secretary of Defense McNamara.
1. Acting Secretary Ball’s August 28 memorandum recommended that the U.S. Government approve requests received after the end of 1963 to license the sale of spare parts for the C-130’s. He noted that the U.S. Government had approved the contract between Lockheed and the South African Government knowing that it contained the clause providing for the supply of spare parts to maintain the aircraft so long as five were in operation (Ibid.)
2. On September 16, Secretary Rusk and Secretary McNamara recommended quietly exploring the sale of submarines to South Africa on preliminary basis. (Ibid.)