193. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to Secretary of State Vance1
SUBJECT
- Guidance on Rhodesia
As a result of our conversation with the President today, the following decisions on Rhodesia were taken:2
1. The United States should seek the convening of a conference of the nationalists, the front-line countries, and—if possible—Smith to try to bring agreement among them on the basis of the Anglo-American plan, incorporating the positive features of the Salisbury settlement.3
2. We will not support the Salisbury settlements nor condemn them. We will remain committed to the Anglo-American plan, and seek to bring the Salisbury settlement into conformity with it.
3. We will not support a veto by the British of the Nigerian Resolution.4 We will abstain with an explanation of our vote. However, we should also work to develop a resolution which all can support.
4. We should go forward with planning for a May visit from President Kaunda of Zambia.
[Page 559]The Department of State should prepare a country paper on Zambia, outlining its economic and military needs and the extent to which U.S. assistance might be made available.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material; Country File, Box 88, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia): 1–4/78. Secret; Sensitive. ↩
- According to the President’s Daily Diary, Carter met with Mondale, Vance, Young, Brzezinski, Aaron, and Jordan from 2 to 3 p.m in the Oval Office. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials) ↩
- See Document 192. ↩
- Reference is presumably to UNSC Resolution 423 (1978), adopted March 14, by a vote of 10 to 0 with 5 abstentions (including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Germany, and Canada). (Yearbook of the United Nations, 1978, p. 227)↩