41. Memorandum From William
Hyland of the National Security Council Staff to
President Carter1
Washington, August 6, 1977
SUBJECT
- Oral Message from Brezhnev
to You
The Soviet Minister delivered an “oral” message from Brezhnev to you concerning South
African nuclear weapons. The burden of the message is that the Soviets
believe the South Africans are building nuclear weapons and preparing to
conduct underground tests and are practically ready to begin. Brezhnev emphasizes that should this
occur it would do great damage to the Non-proliferation Treaty2
and weaken international efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear
weapons and reduce the danger of nuclear war. The Soviet statement also
emphasizes that all countries should undertake extraordinary, urgent
efforts to prevent South Africa from conducting nuclear tests and
building nuclear
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weapons. The
message concludes by noting your personal interest in non-proliferation
and asking for your views on what effective measures might be taken.
The Minister added that a public statement, roughly along the same lines,
will be issued in Moscow on Monday3 and that similar messages from Brezhnev had been sent to London,
Paris and Bonn. The Soviets do not plan to announce the fact of these
messages, however. I told the Minister that I would relay the message
immediately to you and that you would consider how and when to reply. I
did note to the Minister that the Soviet information did not seem to be
in accord with our own information on the imminence of the South African
test but this was not my area of expertise.
I have informed Warren
Christopher of this message and I will send you the full
text as soon as it is translated. We will also send you a draft reply,
though it is obvious that the Russians intend this primarily for
propaganda since they intend a public statement on Monday.
Attachment
Oral Message From Soviet General Secretary
Brezhnev to
President Carter
4
We would like to draw your attention to a matter which in our opinion
is of quite considerable importance from the point of view of its
consequences to the development of the international situation and
furtherance of detente. This matter concerns our countries as
Permanent Security Council Members which carry a special
responsibility for the maintenance of peace and international
security.
According to incoming data on the South African Republic, they are
completing work on building nuclear weapons and on carrying out the
first nuclear test. In the desert of Calabari they have built a
testing site which is practically ready for such tests
underground.
These facts testifying to the possibility of building nuclear weapons
in South Africa could not but cause us a grave apprehension.
Naturally if this state, which carries out a policy of apartheid
with regard to the African population of their land and does not
take into account United Nations decisions, acquired nuclear weapons
then this
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would sharply
aggravate the situation on the African Continent and would as a
whole increase the danger of the use of nuclear weapons.
The emergence of such weapons in the hand of the SAR would certainly be used by some
other countries to justify the building of their own nuclear
devices. It is easy to see what a damage this would cause to the
treaty on non-proliferation and how considerably it would weaken the
framework of non-proliferation, to strengthen which joint efforts of
the USSR and the USA are directed.
No one has the slightest doubt that the SAR is in a position to build nuclear weapons only
through the help of other states. One also knows that the SAR has access to the latest research
in the nuclear field, that it received and continues to receive
nuclear equipment and materials. “The London Understandings”5 demand, as we know,
fulfillment of a number of conditions aimed at preventing the use of
materials, equipment and technology to build nuclear devices. The
world public will be justified in asking this question: since these
understandings failed to prevent the emergence of nuclear weapons in
the SAR, then what are they
worth?
We in the Soviet Union consider it a matter of extraordinary and
urgent importance to make all efforts to prevent the SAR from conducting nuclear tests and
building nuclear weapons. On our part we have in mind publishing in
the nearest future an appropriate statement, having in view drawing
the attention of the governments and the public to the dangerous
plans of the SAR. As to the USA we
understand that you have at your disposal the necessary channels and
probabilities to render directly a holding influence on this
state.
Addressing ourselves directly to you, Mr. President, we take into
account the great attention which you personally pay to the problem
of non-proliferation. Cooperation between our two countries along
the lines of strengthening the Treaty on Non-proliferation is
developing. Our states have taken on themselves certain obligations
on the prevention of a nuclear war. Now a situation has developed
where it is quite necessary and urgently at that to undertake
energetic efforts to prevent the emergence of new nuclear powers and
holding at bay the growth of nuclear danger.
I hope that this appeal of mine would meet with your, Mr. President,
understanding and from the US part appropriate and effective
measures would be taken.
On our part we would like to learn what are your views on the
above-mentioned matter.
