633. Memorandum by the Deputy Secretary of Defense (Vance)1

MEMORANDUM FOR

  • Secretary of the Navy
  • Secretary of the Air Force
  • Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • Director of Defense Research and Engineering
  • Assistant Secretary of Defense/International Security Affairs

SUBJECT

  • DoD Requirements for Facilities and Contractual Support in the Republic of South Africa (U)

I would appreciate your developing for me on a priority basis an assessment of the minimum DoD requirements for use of Republic of South Africa ports, yards, airfields, real estate, and the like. This assessment should specifically address the following:

(1)
The use of South African ports and yards for U.S. Naval war ships, other USN ships, and any ships or vessels which DoD components operate directly or under contractual arrangements to satisfy other DoD or NASA requirements;
(2)
Land-based tracking facilities;
(3)
Search and rescue arrangements;
(4)
Any contractual agreements DoD has with the South African Government or with private South African businesses or industries for goods and services provided DoD components in South Africa; and
(5)
Any other DoD requirements for South African facilities.

I would also appreciate your analyzing various alternatives for satisfying the DoD requirements outlined above should South African facilities no longer be available to DoD.

I plan to forward your analysis to the Under Secretary of State as part of an over-all review of U.S. policy toward the Republic of South Africa.

Cyrus Vance
  1. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OSD Files: FRC 72 A 2468, 092 South Africa. Secret. A copy was sent to the Under Secretary of State and the Director of the National Security Agency.