Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XVI, Southern Africa

268. Presidential Directive/NSC–5¹

Washington, March 9, 1977

TO

• The Vice President
• The Secretary of State
• The Secretary of Defense

ALSO

• The Secretary of the Treasury
• The United States Representative to the United Nations
• The Director of Central Intelligence

SUBJECT

• Southern Africa

After full consideration of the views presented at the meeting of the National Security Council held March 3, 1977,² I have concluded that the U.S. Government will adopt a new focus in its policies toward the Government of South Africa. Our aim will be to promote a progressive transformation of South African society.

1. To implement this new policy I direct Secretary Vance, in consultation with Ambassador Young, to take the lead in drawing up a paper outlining a sequence of events designed to promote the progressive transformation of South African society, including specific steps the U.S. might take.³ The paper is to consider how, when and by whom this new focus should be made known to the SAG, to black African leaders, and to the American people. It should also include specific recommendations as to the U.S. position on: a Chapter VII vote in the U.N.; conclusion of the ERDA–SASOL contract; and U.S.–SAG nuclear cooperation.

2. I direct Secretary Blumenthal to speak with the presidents of the 12 corporations and ask them to expand their number, and outline specific steps to implement the principles they have adopted to govern their activities in South Africa.

In addition, I direct the Intelligence Community to study the effectiveness of possible sanctions (in addition to repeal of the Byrd Amendment) which the U.S. might apply against Rhodesia,⁴ including shipments of oil by subsidiaries of American-owned companies, and the possibility of enlisting the cooperation of other nations with major economic ties with South Africa.⁵

Jimmy Carter

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 3, PD 05 [1]. Secret.
2. See Document 267.
3. An undated paper, entitled “A New Approach to Relations with South Africa,” was sent to Brzezinski under a March 29 covering memorandum from Borg. (Carter Library, National Security Council, Institutional Files, Box 3, PD–05) For a summary of the recommendations, see Document 271.
4. See Document 144.
5. See Document 149.